


A Tomb of Roses

by Lyrhia, VenusUnchained



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Beauty and the Beast AU, Character Death, Curses, Dark Fairy Tale, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Horror-ish, Romance, Senshi & Shitennou Mini Bang 2020, Smut, Violence, charlie is chaotic evil, soul mates, this is Flor's fault
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:48:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 15
Words: 91,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27984879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyrhia/pseuds/Lyrhia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/VenusUnchained/pseuds/VenusUnchained
Summary: Dark twist on the SilMill inspired by Beauty and the Beast. Earth is cursed, ravaged by darkness, their prince in a death-like sleep. An unfortunate turn of events & Venus finds herself trapped in the castle with four beasts. If she ever wants to stop the darkness from destroying the Moon, she must break the curse.
Relationships: Aino Minako & Kunzite, Aino Minako/Kunzite, Senshi & Shitennou, Senshi/Shitennou, Venus/Kunzite
Comments: 30
Kudos: 55
Collections: Senshi & Shitennou Mini Bang 2020





	1. Prologue: Once Upon A Silver Millennium

**Author's Note:**

> My contribution to the Senshi/Shitennou Mini Bang 2020! I was so very lucky and fortunate to collab with the endlessly talented and lovely Lyrhia this year! Truly I cannot thank her and my beta Flor for putting up with my shenanigans and enabling this wild, dark fairy tale. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this as much as I have!
> 
> Please go and scream praises about the seriously stunning art Lyrhia's done for this, seriously she should be illustrating books and I am SO in love with the pieces she did to really bring this story to life. The style she chose is SO classic, and difficult, and she did it FLAWLESSLY. The time and effort that went into this just warms my heart and I adore it more than anything. Thank you, my friend, for believing in me and this crazy story.

Long, long ago, before the first grain of sand fell to the bottom of Pluto’s hourglass, the nine planets were united under the rule of the Moon that danced around in Earth’s night sky, spreading peace and harmony with the power of a Silver Crystal. They called it the Silver Millennium. 

Earth thrived with this partnership, blessed by a Golden Crystal, complementary to the Moon’s, blessing their people with prosperity and magic under the protection of a Demi-God from the Sun who served the Elysian throne.

This Demi-God became The Golden Kingdom’s High Priest, serving the King and Queen along with the Kingdom’s very handsome Prince and his four guardians. The Prince had a pure heart, loved by all who knew him, but no one loved him more than his closest advisers, The Four Kings of Heaven. These men were loyal and affectionate to the young Prince, but the High Priest stayed wary of their intentions. While any one of The Four would have laid down their lives for the throne, they were certainly not so pure of heart. 

The Four Kings were feared and revered men, each one more power hungry than the next, impatient for the day their Prince would hold the Golden Crystal in his palm. They sneered at Earth’s relations with the Moon who ruled with a fair and steady hand, for why should such a small celestial body keep all of the power when they could perhaps even overthrow the Silver Queen’s reign? 

The eldest of The Four Kings was a cold and brutal man by reputation. As a General for Earth’s army, he was a blood-thirsty man with no love inside of his heart. A stoic and quiet man with a notoriously explosive temper that most knew better than to provoke. Deadly, and outwardly cruel toward anyone that wasn’t his Prince. As pale and cold as the freshly fallen snow. 

The second of the Four Kings was arrogant and strong. He was impulsive and loud, brave without care for the consequences of his actions. If one dared to question him, he would move mountains to prove his station. Prove him wrong, and there was certain to be bloodshed. Wrong him and he was certain to let the entirety of the Kingdom be made aware, especially if it bolstered his reputation.

The third was a slippery man. A serious man with penetrating eyes and illusions in his smile and at his fingertips. He always wore two faces at once, always scheming with motives that were often less than honorable. He’d smile in his cunning way and speak as though he could peer into the minds of others, bend their intentions to fit his own desires. 

The fourth was never far from the third. The youngest and most beautiful of them with perhaps the most brilliant mind often benefited from the Third King’s deceptions. Where the eldest King was silent and cruel, but honest, this one learned the ways of malice with a bit more flamboyance. He earned his sordid reputation with a sneaky sort of treachery that only added to his outward vanity. Seductive, and often sadistic, he played his way through society with only his own best interest at heart. 

No one was blinder to the sometimes treasonous acts of the four men than the young Prince they so loved. 

However, not all turned a blind eye to their malice. The High Priest who guarded their crystal kept a close watch over all of them, waiting for the day their wicked intentions would come to light, and blamed them for the Prince’s slow learning of Earth’s most powerful magics. 

One night, a beautiful Princess descended from the Moon, curious about the world below her own and in a chance encounter, met the handsome Prince. Entwined together by the red thread of fate, the Prince and Princess quickly fell into a most fated love and wished to be married. 

Fate, however, had less favorable plans for their romance.

The tension between the Prince and his guardians, who ill-advised such a match, unknowingly allowed a great darkness to descend from the Sun to infect their planet with the forces of evil. Little by little, Earth’s magic began to wane and the High Priest grew frightened, disappointed by the arrogance of the men entrusted to protect their Prince. Drawn by the warm Golden Power of Earth’s crystal, the darkness targeted their kingdom first. 

It began by using a poor girl’s unrequited love for the Prince, possessing the kingdom’s Sage. She was a powerful medicine woman, a Priestess, who under dark influences tricked the Four Kings. She used their weakened faith in their Prince to turn against the man they loved so dearly, and sent them on a mission to steal the Golden Crystal for her Dark Mistress; Metalia. 

Soon, Earth’s people began to rebel against the Golden Kingdom, some even transformed into hideous monsters by the will of this ancient evil being who sought to absorb the Golden Crystal so she would be powerful enough to decimate the Silver Millennium, and harness the Moon’s all-powerful Silver Crystal for herself. 

With Earth under attack, the Moon Kingdom quickly threw up their barriers to try and protect the sanctity of the peace they’d fought so hard to build. Earth was left to fend for itself, leaving the Crowned Prince to fight the darkness with all of his power alone. 

It wasn’t enough without the Four Kings to help him. 

The possessed Sage offered the Prince her hand, professing her love and assuring that if he stood by her side and surrendered the Golden Crystal that his people, his Kingdom would be spared. If only he would renounce his love for the Moon Princess. 

The Prince was furious, mourning his parents, a King and Queen taken by the darkness and betrayed by the Four Kings. He would protect the sanctity of the Silver Millennium with his final breath, and his planet would be the sacrifice to save the one he loved. One planet for the sake of many, a King’s decision. The fated love between the Prince and the Princess was too strong, and he refused.

In a blind rage, the Sage placed a curse over the poor Prince, damning him to an eternal slumber. Eternally beautiful, for if he would not be hers, then he would belong to no one. Seemingly, all was lost to Metallia’s will.

Seemingly…. 

To ensure his safety, the High Priest intervened at the last minute. He was not powerful enough to seal the Darkness away but used the Golden Crystal’s magic to place impenetrable barriers around the palace walls of Elysium to protect the fallen Prince’s resting place. In turn, the High Priest managed to trap the traitorous Four Kings with him, cursing them for their sins as a wager to the dark magic that had taken their beloved Prince and sacrificing his own human form, to give the loyal guardians a chance to redeem themselves. 

Each transformed into horrific beasts, fitting to their wicked ways. Damned to guard and protect the tomb of the good Prince until they learned from their mistakes and atoned for their sins. Only then would the beloved Prince awaken, and rise from his slumber. 

Nearly five hundred years passed since Earth’s fall, and the curse still lingers with the Darkness surrounding them, driving the beasts into madness. Meanwhile, the darkness spread and ripped apart the peace of the Silver Millennium with relentless wars, famine, and death. The Moon Queen grew weak from staving off the evil, the Moon Princess fell into despair, and the High Priest was close to losing faith. 

Until one dreadful night, something finally changed...

_ When Beauty overcomes vanity, Love will warm a cold and cruel heart _

_ …..it will teach a conceited soul to be humble _

_ ….unveil the illusions of a deceptive mind _

_....find the balance of power and vulnerability in a force of nature _

**_Only then… will you be free..._ **


	2. Tears of Serenitatis

Nestled on a lake of silver tears, surrounded by vast graveyards of moondust and maria, lay the skeletal remains of the once great city of Serenitatis. Crumbled symbols of the Moon Kingdom’s regalia marked the landscape like tombstones in memory of a time when peace was the religion. A time before darkness seeped into their Silver Millennium like black ink and ravaged the powerful alliance down to the marrow of its bones. Earth had served as the gateway for this new evil, oppressive and sly in nature, silent enough that nobody knew of its arrival until it was too late.

It came while they were at their most vulnerable, amidst one of many of their renowned celebrations, where the beautiful and immortal Gods and Goddesses gathered to celebrate their eternities with finery and power in ostentatious quantities. Blind with vanity and drunk on power, the Silver Alliance never dreamed that their peaceful unity would be torn apart so easily. Yet this corruptive entity who called herself Metalia consumed the Earth like a cold whisper in a silent room, disregarded and ignored until the planet of the Golden Kingdom of Elysium was already gone. 

It pulled Serenitatis and all of the neighboring planets into a gruesome war, one against an enemy they did not know how to fight. Every resource was used, depleted, and one by one, planet by planet, each buckled and caved to Metalia’s relentless lust for power. She’d absorbed every bit of magic from the people of Earth first, spreading her dark energy and infecting the great civilizations of their Alliance, leaving their people as little more than helpless prey to create her mindless horrors. Creatures who were given one mission, and one mission alone: Obtain the Silver Crystal. 

The imperial gem was native to the lineage of Lunar royals and more powerful than any weapon in the known Galaxy, and Earth’s Golden Crystal its twin. Some said the golden stone came from the Sun, and that the Demi-God who appeared mysteriously had gifted it to Elysium’s royalty eons ago, others said the stone came from some dream land beyond their realm. As the kingdoms of the Silver Alliance were torn down by the cold grips of darkness and despair, the popular opinion became that Metalia had already consumed the Golden Crystal, or it had been lost to the calamitous bidding of her primary ally, Queen Beryl. 

Queen Beryl had been the sole conspirator in Earth’s fall, and of no interest to Metalia, declared herself the Dark Queen of Earth, claiming Elysium as her Dark Kingdom. Nobody in the Alliance knew of her origin, only that she must have been a powerful sage with direct ties to the Golden Kingdom. There was no way for them to obtain the answers they so desperately needed, for Beryl herself offered no information, the rest of them were too busy fighting for their lives, and as far as they knew there were no survivors left on Earth.

Nearly five hundred years had passed since The Dark Kingdom rose from Earth to attack them, and Venus thought of that night often. She wondered what she could have done, what she should have seen to foretell the grave rising of such powerful evil. All she could remember was how the walls around them crumbled, overburdened by armies of Beryl’s creatures who had once been members of the Elysian Court. How people from all over Earth’s many cultures had been reduced to ethereal demons, puppets maneuvered with strings pulled by Metalia’s hand. A method that had worked in her own Kingdom of Magellan. 

Had Venus known that her malice would spread throughout the Galaxy she could have prepared, could have warned the other Kingdoms, but it spread. Jovians, Martians, Mercurians, Venusians, all warped into a bloodsoaked war they hadn’t expected or prepared for. Tasked to serve the Moon Kingdom, to lead the last remaining four guardians, Venus had fought all these hundreds of years in relentless battles with the power of her Queen at her back. The Silver Crystal staved off the blackest of powers with its purifying light, a light only as eternal as the power within its wielder and as that power began to fade, they fell short to desperation. It wasn’t the unlimited power of the crystal itself, there was no question to that endless potency, only the limited strength of Queen Serenity’s supposed immortal shell. 

During a lull in battle, Queen Beryl approached what was left of the ruined castle of Serenitatis directly. Venus could feel her imposing darkness before she even arrived and summoned her Queen, rallying the other Guardians into position in case of another ambush. The Dark Queen slithered, hips swaying beneath her fitted dark violet gown as she approached the Silver Crystal’s weak barrier raised around the remains of their castle. 

A Venusian puppet swayed and staggered mindlessly at her side with his pale hair and dead green eyes that filled Venus with such dread, and admittingly crippled her usually unwavering faith. In her heart, she knew the boy, for he wasn’t much older than herself and although they’d only glimpsed each other briefly, she was arranged to marry him one day in the future that no longer existed. 

He was beautiful once, of that she was sure despite the unsettling look in his eye as he gazed fixedly at her. It would have been an arrangement made for duty rather than love, which suited her just fine. He’d always looked at her like that, it never would have been a union of the heart. He was certainly out of place beside the tall demon woman with her vermillion hair and dragon’s eyes, as pale as bone and deadly as a poisoned dagger, but merely a trinket to keep for intimidation, she thought. Only as lethal as the stone headdress posed upon Queen Beryl’s head.

“Now I suppose I will kill him one day.” She muttered, but no one seemed to hear, no one but Beryl. Venus wasn’t sorry in the slightest.

The Demon Queen quirked her dark lips, daring Venus to even move when she wrapped her fingers around the hilt of her Holy Sword. Fiery eyes tilted down toward her, nearly glowing against her pale almost lavender skin. She glared back at her, unwilling to show an ounce of weakness despite the weariness in her limbs, her skin trying to unflaw itself by healing the congealed wounds in her flesh leftover from the battle. Beryl only relented her oppressing gaze when Queen Serenity emerged, her soft hand at the small of Venus’s back to signal her arrival, and the Moon Queen stepped forward with pursed lips, waiting for the explanation of this unexpected visit. 

“I would spare their lives if you simply hand it over.” She purred at the Queen Serenity with a sly, fanged smile. Her Queen, who managed to appear so strong even when Venus could see the light of the ancient Goddess flickering with the strain of her dying power, and she gripped the hilt of her sword tighter. “You cannot hold us back much longer. The Moon just doesn’t shine so bright upon the Earth anymore. **You** are dying.” 

“You do not know the boundless faith and love in my heart. I will last as long as I am needed to.” Serenity smiled, sure and calm as she always had, as though Beryl was merely a child in need of guidance. “You speak of mercy. Would you grant us the same mercy that you extended the poor people of Elysium? That is no life Witch, and Metalia would only extend the same courtesy to you once you are done with her bidding. You are a puppet just like that poor boy. It is not too late to stop this. I would help you.” 

Beryl laughed, glancing behind her to the puppetized boy who joined the Dark Queen in a crazed high pitched laugh that set Venus’s teeth on edge. “You hear that Danburite? The Silver Queen who didn’t even notice one of her aligned planets being ripped open from the inside has offered to help us.” Her voice deepened, the slow crane of her head as she turned her attention back to Queen Serenity, a vicious smile spread too widely over her features, nearly splitting her face in half. “Poor thing can’t even help herself. Not for much longer at least.” 

To say that she wasn’t terrified would have been a lie. The longer Venus watched this statuesque horror, the more frightening she became. Her neck and arms were too long for her body, her face a grotesque mask of beauty and grace mixed with something unnatural and demonic down to her pointed teeth and ears. What was worse was the knowing gleam in her orange eyes and the unbridled joy in her grin. Queen Beryl was no fool, and she knew that soon enough, Serenitatis would fall. 

“I can help you.” Queen Serenity insisted, almost looking as though she wanted to reach out to the Demon Queen. “I **will** help you.”

Venus tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword, carefully tensing to pull the weapon from its sheath strapped to her hip. She wondered if the Holy Blade would be enough... If she had the strength...she could end this... 

The fluttering of fabric, the frantic sound of a bird trying to catch the air broke the tense silence. It averted Venus’s attention, it grabbed Beryl’s too, and a faint grimace tensed her lips revealing her dainty white fangs as the young Princess appeared in what was left of the palace’s entrance. As if on reflex, the barrier between the Dark Queen and Queen Serenity strengthened significantly, and Venus unsheathed her sword. 

“Tell me, poor witch, is the Prince of Earth truly dead? Tell me what you’ve done to my sweet Endymion.” The Princess bounded forward, silvery blue eyes wide and hopeful.

Venus barred her way forward, afraid to let her too close to the demoness and her puppet, and scolded Serenity through gritted teeth. “Now is not the time. Get back inside-” 

“Nothing lives as it once did under my reign, but my Prince was too good to be tainted by such darkness. His fate is fitting if he won’t be mine, and he shall rest in pieces eternally with what is left of my heart.” Beryl replied, her voice ghastly and chilling. “He will most **certainly** never be yours.”

“You have no heart!” Venus bit, turning with a swirl of her golden hair, and Beryl cast her eyes on her with the sort of hatred that should have stricken her dead. She tried to burn the Witch back with her impassioned blue eyes. Fury raged through her blood, her hold around Serenity tightening as she sobbed against her shoulder at the news, heartbreak tangible in each of her shuttered cries. It cast an eerie smile on the puppeteered Venusian beside the Demon Queen as though perhaps he felt it too, and Venus longed to free him of his dark prison with the blade primed in her hand.

“For all of your beauty, you are still such a vain little thing, Venus. I may not have a heart, but at least I have loved, and for it, my heart no longer beats.” Her voice came like the coming of a sudden frost on the air, deep and vicious. Venus suppressed her shiver and narrowed her eyes with a silent wish to summon the power to her holy blade and breach the barrier. To end this madness by burying the sword into the blackened void where her heart should have been. Beryl nodded her head toward Queen Serenity, mocking sympathy in her expression, her tone oozing with ruinous intent. “This one saw to it, didn’t she? Made sure your heart belonged to no one but her purpose. She made sure to drown your heart with her duties, didn’t she? Never letting you seek more than the bottomless, empty pit of lust. Tell me Love Goddess, what is it your heart desires? Your intended groom would still have you, and have you again.”

“And again…” The puppeteered boy rasped quietly, green eyes more crazed with the idea of ‘having her.’ 

“Get her back inside, Venus.” Queen Serenity ordered with as much calm as she could muster as her patience was tested. Regardless, it would have taken far more than taunting words for Venus to question her loyalty, as painful as the truth of those words was, their hopes all lie within the Princess in her arms. And Queen Beryl wasn’t wrong in her assumptions that the Silver Queen was growing weak. 

“Yesssss, get her inside.” The puppeteered Venusian hissed from the background.

“I won’t leave you unguarded.” Venus insisted, swallowing the dry knot in her throat. Her eyes darted sharply from the horrid grinning boy, pale and crazed beside the tall snake-like woman with a dark lipped smirk, smug with knowing, only to fall upon the stalwart Moon Goddess with sweat on her brow. The crystal was clenched in her fist, hidden within the folds of her white gown, and once upon a time, it would have been nothing for her to allow the stone to bloom and unleash such blinding and awesome power that it would have purified Queen Beryl to nothing but moondust. 

“Go.” The Queen strained with finality, a dismissing order that would be punishable if disobeyed, and despite how she wanted to argue Venus gathered the sobbing Princess in her arms and reluctantly began to pull her back toward the safety of the Moon Palace’s ruins. 

Venus rarely grew angry with Serenity, but she could not look past the danger of leaving the Queen alone when Beryl might have come with another ambush, even if it seemed like she was merely assessing the amount of power the Moon Goddess still had. Feeling out how much power would be needed to simply pluck that crystal straight out of her cold dead fingers. 

Rage consumed her reason for the moment and despite Serenity’s lingering sniffles, Venus turned the girl to face her, fingers biting into the Princess’s arms, shaking her. “You could have killed us all! What were you thinking?!” 

“I needed to know for certain!” 

“It has been nearly five hundred years! What more certainty do you need? There is no magic there, no chance for immortality…” Venus clamped her mouth shut, knowing the Princess’s hopes that her fated love was still alive in some capacity was all that kept the poor thing from letting the illness of heartbreak let her grow weak, or worse. “You cannot act so carelessly!” 

“Venus is right.” Queen Serenity spoke firmly, but breathily as she entered the sanctum’s chamber, falling weakly against the doors as they shut. Venus frowned, seeing the weariness in her usually immaculate posture when she dragged across the room and fell into the seat of her throne. It seemed so long ago that their Queen was so unstoppable, keeping barriers and safety measures intact across the entire Galaxy, providing sustainable living without batting a lash when now, she strained to keep the mere bell jar for a barrier around the ruins of Serenitatis’s castle strong. “You acted rashly for the sake of a love that passed many centuries ago. We are counting on you Serenity, I only have so much more strength to give. As I did long ago, it is imperative that you accept the Silver Crystal’s calling. Your heart needs to be strong enough to heed it.” 

“I know…” The silver haired Princess agreed sheepishly, a crystalline tear rolling from a vibrant blue eye. “I know everyone is counting on me but… if I don’t keep hope..” 

“Your hope should remain with your people. The people of Earth, his people, let this darkness in and I won’t hear another word about your secret lover of long ago. Soulmate or not, the crimson ties that once bound our two kingdoms together are now only linked by the rivers flowing red with the blood of our people. This war will not stop until they have the Crystal, surely you know we cannot allow that to pass.” 

Venus nodded in agreeance with her Queen, harsh as her words were, she was half relieved that things did not end badly that night, only stern with Princess Serenity because they could have. “It is a matter of survival now.” 

“We could have won by now if you would have saved him, Mother!” Serenity exclaimed with tears on her voice, jerking herself free of Venus’s grasp. “He could hold the Golden Crystal, and together we would have been strong enough to fight this!” 

Queen Serenity sighed, too weary to argue. “I am not cruel, my love. Had it not been too late already, do you not think I would have saved them? Please Serenity, I must rest. I don’t have the strength to argue with you today.” 

Without more than a shaking sob, the young Princess spun on her heel and stormed from the room, her silver pigtails trailing behind her like a forlorn comet lost among the stars. Venus watched her go with a sigh, then turned her eyes to the weary Goddess, watching her lift herself slowly from her throne. “She doesn’t understand it the way we do.” 

“And you do not understand the soulbond they shared.” Venus argued. 

“I suppose that is why you allowed her to hide their affair from me. Knowing it would end in tragedy.” She sighed again as though to catch a bit of breath, tired and finished with the conversation. “I must rest. Have Mars and Jupiter take watch, I doubt Beryl will wait long before she returns with reinforcements. Go to Serenity and let her faith be kept. Much rests on her shoulders and I fear it might be too much for her to bear, but she must be strong. Stronger than I ever was.” 

Venus nodded, watching the Queen as she slipped into the double doors of the inner sanctum, a sanctuary that had always been where the Silver Crystal’s reach was the most potent, the place Queen Serenity remained most of her days unless needed on the front lines of battle. Pressing a green and red button on the communicator strapped to her wrist, she raised her arm to issue their orders. “The Queen has asked for you to take guard. Alert me at once if you see anything out of the ordinary. The enemy has been feeling us out so chance nothing.” 

She waited for the affirmative of her fellow soldiers, heaving a great sigh of her own as the telling bursts of magic ignited in the air when Mars and Jupiter transformed to report for duty. It was truly a Mercurian wonder that such a small device could do so much, and there were only five left in the entire galaxy. It could do everything from taking readings in a radius of several miles to check for any lingering dark energy, pinpoint the location of the other girls, and of course her darling Princess. It even allowed for the Senshi to travel to any planet they wished, whichever civilization required their aid, they could teleport. 

Venus detransformed, donning a very worn, thin gown of gold silk. Finery lost to an age long ago before the wars destroyed their luxurious lives, and oh how she missed those days of lax grandeur. The ostentatious balls filled with glittering gowns, and beautiful men and women that lasted well into the night, ending with a display of fireworks and crisp champagne. But she’d lived her life as a soldier for as long as she could remember, and those times of floating around a gilded hall with music sweet in her ears and laughter light on her tongue were nothing more than fleeting memories once Earth had become consumed by Metalia’s influence. War had become a constant threat, a loathsome lifestyle to the once carefree peace they’d worked so hard to build. 

Before the chaos erupted and spilled like black ink, blending and spreading into the darkness of space, she often found herself on Earth at the strangest hours of the night. Venus would have to follow Serenity, a vicious sneak, who would take it upon herself to meet in secret with the Prince of Elysium. She’d discouraged the behavior, of course, it was unbecoming of a Princess to engage in such discreet rendezvous with the Prince, but Venus understood to an extent, seeing the potency of the bond between them with her Venusian sight. She could not deny that their fated ties were the most powerful she’d ever seen, and it didn’t hurt that one of Endymion’s guards, a Night Watchman, was rather handsome company for herself. 

Venus slung a heavy cloak of vibrant crimson around her shoulders. The garment was the one item throughout the war that she’d been able to keep pristine and perfect, a luxury to remind herself that she too was a Princess once, long ago. Soft and warm, it was all she had left of her days at Court when being a soldier was more of a security measure than an occupation. She nestled into it and tried not to think of all that had been when she stepped out into the battle yard by the lake to find her distraught Princess.

Even Venus had begun to miss those listless nights, wandering the heavy and fragrant gardens of the Elysian palace with Endymion’s Night Watchman who remained brooding and distant, but an oddly flirtatious comfort, and even further distant memory as those days were long over. A far better thought to immerse herself in as she strolled through the remnants of war, often finding bones, or the skull of some poor lost Lunar soldier peering up at her through the dark sockets, coated in sparkling dust with a crescent moon branded into the forehead. Like she wanted the reminder that her eternal life was just a formality of a lack of violence, and there was an abundance of that these days. If nothing else, she found solace in Serenity’s hope for her Prince’s well being. That he was alive and not very dead as Venus, and everyone else, suspected. That hope was all that saved Serenity from inevitable heartbreak. 

She knew she’d find her there among the remnants of war. Where the pleasant musk of jasmine incense lifted into the thin air as a memorandum of a time when peace and tranquility reigned above the darkness that had destroyed the alliance of the Silver Millennium. Broken marble gleamed white as bone in the dim glow reflecting back at them from Earth’s surface, moondust glittering on all that was left of this tomb that used to be part of the Lunar Palace. Serenity crouched among the fragrant smoke and lit candles that the Lunar people would leave there as an offering of hope, her chin lifted, wide blue eyes fixed on the deceptively peaceful marble planet above them as if in prayer. 

Venus approached quietly, kicking at the peaks of moondust on the ground with a worn orange slipper of satin, kneeling beside her Princess with hope to offer comfort in her lonely hours where she longed for a handsome Prince who’d been stolen from her by the very claws of evil that now gripped his planet. His Golden City of Elysium seemingly the heart of all of this darkness. 

“I knew I’d find you here.” She offered softly, sifting her fingers through the endless strands of white gold that shimmered through Serenity’s hair.

“I keep hoping that the nightmare will end one day. That I will wake up with him beside me and Mother will be strong, and not bound to the Inner Sanctum.” Her lips pouted in a way Venus found endearing, and she reached to offer a consoling look, pulling Serenity’s chin toward her with her fingers so her cerulean eyes would look to find the sincerity in her own.

“All nightmares end, eventually. Your mother is strong, and if Endymion lives-” 

“But he IS alive. You said yourself our bond is pure, that it could withstand the darkness.” Serenity shifted with purpose in the moon dust, only serving to add dazzling glamour to the white gown she wore. Venus still favored the thin and luxurious gossamer silks that had been favored by Venusian royalty, a rarity no longer found during these violent times of uniforms and armory. Revealing fashions that left little to the mind’s eye, now tattered, that she wore beneath the heavy crimson cloak for added warmth. A luxury in quieter times between battles. 

She shifted toward Serenity as well, careful with her words as she tried to assure her. “Withstand yes. But it is the Silver Crystal that could cleanse it. We need you strong Princess, and it is hardly safe out here, Your mother asked me to retrieve you. It’s not good for you to linger, to pine for what is lost to Metalia’s darkness. We all must look forward, toward the light.” 

“Just a little longer.” Serenity begged with a solemn sigh, wistfully eyeing the Earth above them. “I just miss him so much. The last four hundred and ninety-nine years have been far too long.”

“You and I both know that it is a trivial amount of time. If he is alive, and strong enough, you will see your beloved again. But come, let’s get you inside where the walls are fortified.” 

Venus had taken the Princess by the elbow and gently urged her to stand so they could leave but Serenity jerked her arm away. Tears now tugged at her voice, a crystal drop falling down her pale cheek as she whipped around to face her. “She thinks he is dead but I KNOW it, Venus! He is alive! A trivial amount of time? How can you say such heartless things? You have never been in love, you could never understand.”

A weary sigh slipped passed through her lips which tensed into an impatient frown. Serenity was often stubborn, unruly, which made her protection all the more challenging for the Venusian guardian. “I have loved plenty. I embody love with all of my being Princess, and it is because I love you enough to fight wars in your name and give my life for yours that I choose to keep my faith in you.” Venus explained, once more wrapping her fingers around Serenity’s slender forearm in an attempt to get the lithe little Moon Goddess to stand. “So I’ll ask you again. Please let us go before we are seen. There is no telling what of Metalia’s hordes still lurk out here in the darkness. It’s not safe.” 

“You have lusted, but I don’t believe that you have ever known the love that I have known. And that makes me very sad for you.” Serenity sniffled, allowing Venus to help her to her feet, the stubbornness in her eyes melting into pity. “You have done nothing but fight, for centuries. Of course, you have not found who is tied to the other end of your fated red thread.” 

“As I said, a trivial amount of time.” Venus winked, smiling through her explanation with a haughty tone, relaxing a little as she led Serenity inside the abandoned halls of cracked marble and salvaged artifacts. “As soon as you are strong enough to wield your mother’s crystal, you can help her eradicate the Darkness, marry your prince, and I will seek the most beautiful of lovers to bide my time amongst the splendor of Magellan.” 

This might have made the mischievous Moon Princess giggle from her scandalous words once upon a time, but her brows only furrowed with worry, glassed over with tears that hadn’t ceased falling down her porcelain cheeks. “I hope to be strong enough soon. Mother said there is no more magic left on Earth, and I fear our time is running out. You may seek a beautiful immortal anytime, but perhaps you should look deeper into one’s heart? Find a love worth living an eternity for? And what about your betrothed?”

Venus scoffed. 

“I am not afforded that luxury, Princess. You know my duties come before my own wants. That includes you, you know.” Venus tugged her in and kissed the Princess’s temple. “The man I’m said to marry is nothing more than a formality, and now Beryl’s puppet. I do not know him, I do not love him, and I certainly do not care for him. Not after what he’s done. I’d rather take lovers. Either way, an arranged marriage was merely a formality to see that I do not fall in love.” 

“Truly, you think so little about anything other than your oaths to me?” Serenity began, sniffling as they approached the inner sanctum of the Moon Palace where her mother remained focused on her task of managing the Silver Crystal’s power. The Queen’s weariness becoming more evident the thinner their false atmosphere became, and breath was harder to come by. “You do not know what it’s like to be separated from a part of yourself. I feel as though you have forgotten your own nature because of all this bloodshed. That one day you will be the Goddess of an emotion you no longer understand. It is more than just beauty...”

“Oh I understand perfectly, it is others who are blind. I would become a Goddess of Love without having the blessing of knowing my heart’s intended, and I shall bear the weight of Love for all, alone.” A gentle smile tugged on Venus’ lips, and she urged Serenity inside the double doors. “It is why I would rather fight. We are eternal, and my duty never ends. Now, go for a bath to calm yourself and rest.” 

“You really don’t understand.” Her pretty face crumpled into such devastation that Venus wondered what she’d done wrong. “For all of your beauty, you will never know the ache that I feel these past years. That I count the hours, the minutes, even the seconds since I last saw him and I lose hope with every grain of sand that falls through Pluto’s glass. I pity you!” 

Serenity ran toward her rooms leaving Venus to blow an exasperated breath through the fringe around her eyes. She was exhausted herself, ready to turn in for the night now that she was sure her Princess was safe for the moment and a blissful silence filled the vacated hall until an urgent beeping signaled from her wrist. A familiar, but horrible, anomaly greeted her sights, the flashing of the only white light on the device. So she tapped on it to find coordinates Venus thought she’d all but forgotten blinking up at her, ones that told her that Princess Serenity had teleported to Earth. 

“FOOLISH PRINCESS!” She exclaimed, berating herself for not knowing that in her heartbroken desperation, the bun haired girl she loved would so stubbornly try to visit the resting place of her beloved. The protocol stated that Venus should have sounded the alarm and rallied her troops for a rescue mission, but knowing her Princess had walked straight into the source of the Darkness all alone, her heart lodged itself into her throat. There was no time, and resources were so scant that she couldn’t fathom it, couldn’t think straight, and oh how damned they would be to sacrifice more than just herself. She sighed, closing her eyes to gather her courage. 

“They would manage without me.” She assured herself without believing it, lifting her wrist to enter a few buttons into her communicator. “I’ll only be a few moments. To gather Serenity and bring her home.” 

Venus teleported directly onto her location, and into the fray of chaos.


	3. Violent Captivity

Cold and thick, the air filled her lungs like she was drowning, like breathing icy water settled at the bottom of some dark lake, but Venus found herself in the pitch blackness of a dark and silent forest instead. The skeletal branches of the trees scratched at the night sky like crooked fingers as they swayed in the wind, reaching toward the Moon for salvation that they’d never find. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, an opaque filter on her surroundings as Venus moved forward with little but the faint silver light of her home to guide her. 

Her eyes darted between the trees, searching for any threats, for any of Beryl’s demons that now occupied these lands, for any sign of Serenity. Dried leaves blanketing the ground, concealing twigs and branches made it impossible for Venus to remain completely silent. No matter how careful her footfall was, any movement was met with the rustling and crunching of dried foliage, the snapping of dead wood beneath her slippers. Every noise was jarring, and as she passed the branches clawed at her face and clothes like they were alive, and reaching, and the darkness between the trees had eyes to track her every movement. 

It made the blood curdling scream that sliced through the silence all the more jarring, piercing, and somehow swallowed and contained by the heaviness all around her like someone screaming underwater. Her head swam with it but Venus propelled forward without care, willing her encumbered limbs to move toward the sound, forward toward a clearing where a familiar iron gate awaited her. 

If her memory served her well, and it always had, these gates would lead into the gardens of Elysium’s long forgotten palace. The animalistic roars and snarls nearby were confirmation enough that one of Beryl’s demons may have found Serenity, the sounds of ripping fabric hollow and disturbing echoes against the darkness. Her heart pounded hard in her throat, thrumming in her ears in fear for what she might find as she burst through the iron gate, and paused to listen for more sounds to guide her. 

The corpse of a once vibrant garden was all that was left. Now strewn with empty fountains and dingy statues overgrown with vines and shriveled plants stark against the night like ghosts frozen in time. The hood of her cloak fell away from her golden hair as she whizzed through the labyrinth of stone pathways that were once lined with the lush, velvet petals of red roses. Once, they had carried the sweet scent of Heaven, now left to rot in shades of odorless death. 

Venus was no stranger to the horrors that now infested this world as they had long spilled into the Moon Kingdom. She’d killed enough of them to turn the moondust of her home red with their blood, and assured herself that she was prepared for whatever nightmare awaited for her then. Another scream ripped and echoed against cracked stones, a barren wasteland left to swallow Serenity’s fear, and as she drew closer, Venus feared it would not be close enough. 

“Damn you…”  Venus muttered, stumbling clumsily over nothing but gravity, or perhaps the vines had moved on their own, but she couldn’t tell. There was no time to think. 

She cursed her restless Princess for coming to this place like there was something left here for her to find, and yet her stomach knotted. The torment of knowing that she could lose her made her blood run cold. Oh, if she could only will her legs to carry her faster! It felt as though she was running through sand, as though someone or something was zapping her power, draining her through the very soles of her slippers. But Venus couldn’t think about that now. All that mattered in that very moment was rescuing Serenity, and getting her home to safety. 

The gardens opened up to a private courtyard near the rear end of the palace. Venus found her Princess cornered, back pressed against the sealed door to a tomb engraved with roses, the Elysian royal crest. Serenity’s eyes were wide, her hair turned a paler shade, almost silver it seemed with the fright that shook her small frame as she cowered in the shadow of a mighty beast. Venus saw blood, she saw red. 

Without a thought, she flew forward, the crimson cape fluttering to the ground as she released the ties and ran with all of her might toward Serenity. The creature was huge, hackles raised as it growled furiously through its serrated fangs. It crouched on all fours, ready to strike its deadly blow. Venus pointed with her finger, pausing from a distance to aim, and tried to summon her powers. 

“CRESCENT BEAM!”  Nothing came. It was as though the magic had evaporated from every cell in her body, and her stomach sank. 

The beast whipped its head around in surprise from the sound of her useless incantation, ears perked, teeth bared as it set its hostile glare upon her. It was a great white wolf, snarling back at her with its ears perked and huge teeth bared. Their eyes locked, but only long enough for Venus to blink before the haggard wolf slunk back into the shadows with preternatural speed. At least, for the moment, Serenity was safe. 

“Venus!”  Serenity cried out, reaching for her with her eyes darting out beyond the brambles of dry bushes and thick trees.  “Venus it’s still out there!” 

“It’s okay, I’m here.”  She hushed, rushing to gather the petite Princess in her arms. She was shaking like a leaf. Her dress was torn at the skirts, and blood seeped between her fingers where her hand had clamped over a wound on her arm to try and staunch the flow, dripping crimson drops onto the pristine white fabric of her gown. Pearls were strewn about the stonework beneath them and it took Venus a moment to comprehend that they belonged to the band of Serenity’s now destroyed communication device. The one that had allowed her to teleport there to begin with.  “It is only a wolf, no need to fear. I don’t need my powers to defeat such silly creatures. They’re only large dogs.”

“That was no wolf.”  Serenity whispered shakily, fingers curling desperately into Venus’s dress as she helped the Princess to her feet.  “It knew enough about me to tear my communicator off...we are stranded.”

“WE are nothing. You are going home, right now.”  Venus scolded, her eyes darting out into the dark brush, chills washing over her skin in frigid waterfalls of terror as she very faintly saw the pale creature, looming, lurking around them, circling without the faintest sound of breath or footfalls. She tried to keep her eyes on the beast, fumbling to remove her communicator with one hand. Her mission now was to get Serenity home safely, even if it meant that she would be left behind. 

“No! What are you doing Venus, I can’t leave you, I won’t! It’s my fault-” 

“Stop. You will do as I tell you without argument.”  Venus cursed under her breath, taking a mere second to avert her eyes to her wrist, clumsy fingers mishandling the clasp, and when she looked up once more she thought her heart had frozen in fear, swearing it stopped beating.

Two eyes glowed back at her from the bushes, the huge creature hunched on all fours ready to pounce, a hideous snarl on its pronounced snout baring long sharp teeth that glinted in the faintest of light. From what she could see of its front paws, they were shaped more like the hands of a man with fingers bearing large claws though she couldn’t see much else, too transfixed on its gleaming eyes and teeth. She worked harder to finally free her wrist of the orange communicator, seeing the Beast’s muscles tense. 

It lunged without warning, taking advantage of their vulnerability to attack, it’s sight set on Serenity. 

Like all of the other creatures she’d faced, this one would see no obvious threat from them. Two petite women dressed in tattered elegance, one wounded and crying, seemingly defenseless. Never could the animal have predicted the way Venus spun into it with such precision, lifting her leg in such a manner to bring the heel of her slipper down right between the Wolf’s eyes. 

A normal wolf would have cried out, whimpering like a beaten dog, but as the creature staggered backward she heard the snapping of its jaws, a strange, almost human growl. Her eyes widened as it reared up on its hind legs, standing at least two feet taller than herself, and lifted it’s awful maw toward the Moon and let loose a furious roar. 

Without a second to spare the Beast turned on her, seemingly devising a new strategy to eviscerate her before bothering with Serenity who was bleeding, and weak. Venus was baffled by its intelligence because that is precisely what she would have done. At first, she did her best to dodge its swiping claws and strangely graceful and strategic movements, her aim to lure the creature away from her Princess who was left to helplessly watch with wide and frightened eyes. Venus needed to get her communicator to her but in a fury of swiping claws and snapping teeth, it was hard for her to think. If only she could stun him for more than a few mere seconds.

Other soldiers were prone to mistakes in battle. There was a dance to it that she was intimate with, but this Lycanthrope creature did not fight with a base instinct for survival but with the fury of a Beast whose territory had been impeded upon, more furious and far more dangerous than a simple man wielding a sword. It fought with an intelligence somewhere between the two, unyielding and rabid like a Beast, but as methodical and precise as a man and certainly not mindless like one of Metallia’s monsters. No, this creature was something far worse. 

Unarmed as she was, powerless as she was, survival was her game and not even her own, but Serenity’s. Venus had a size advantage of being able to slip away from its terrible claws that swiped, destroying fountains and statues in her stead. Small bare trees and naked shrubs were ripped from the ground just to get at her, and while it was deceptively fast, the creature could not catch her. She was small enough to duck through alcoves of dead bushes and stone crevices that the Beast could not manage. Roars echoed across the stone, reverberating through the trees of the forest outside the garden’s walls as he clawed his way through, jumping high on top of stone walls and bounding through the decrepit garden as though he knew every obstacle by heart. 

“Ishara!”  Serenity cried out nearby, still cowering against the stone door, reduced to sobs and helpless cries of her name. Venus ignored it and spun around to face her enemy, ready to stand her ground and fight. 

The Beast didn’t expect it, and Venus would have been taken aback by the perplexed look in its eye if she hadn’t had to dodge a calculated swipe towards her throat. Her fist connected under its ribs with an unassuming force that gave her hope that her strength hadn’t entirely forsaken her. It surprised the creature too, recoiling with a pained snarl just long enough for Venus to punch lower before he flung her to the ground with a bone cracking force with the back of his paw. Thankfully, she was not so easily broken. 

Ignoring the thundering pain she scrambled away, turning this game of chase into a violent brawl likened to a Jovian test of strength. Except she was no Jovian and the battle against this monster was one of life and death. A battle that she no longer planned to walk away from, if only she could get her communicator to Serenity before this creature tore her to ribbons.

While the Beast raged on, Venus was wearing down. Fire burned through her muscles, limbs growing tired and overburdened in her desperate fight. She wasn’t used to the weight, this heavy pull of gravity keeping her pinned to the Earthen ground. Her chest, and lungs burned as she struggled to pull in the thick but luxurious air. It made her head reel and yet she kept her focus, stayed sharp, and tried to plan her triumphant end. 

With a quick thought, Venus grabbed at the thorny brambles of a dead rosebush, the spines stabbing into her palms as she lunged forward and shoved the branches into the wolf’s face, gouging its eyes and face until it screamed and fell back, clawing at its eyes with a raspy, growled curse. It was her moment, and the Beast knew it. Venus ran as hard as she could toward Serenity, lungs on fire and legs threatening to cave beneath her. The White Wolf ran toward the same target leaving her desperate and hoping she could be just slightly faster. 

She wasn’t. 

“VENUS!” The princess shrieked as Venus suddenly sprung forward to push Serenity out of harm's way only to feel her flesh being torn apart.

Razor-sharp claws raked down her back like knives through skin and muscle with a deadly swipe meant for the Lunarian Princess. Venus screamed. An involuntary thing as the fire blazed through her nerves and torn flesh, stealing the very breath from her lungs. Heat poured down her back in crimson rivers from the wounds, the thin and sparse fabric of her dress became soaked with blood, running cold as it trailed down her back. She fell clumsily on top of Serenity as she’d pushed the Princess to the ground, and for a brief moment, her vision darkened around the edges from the throbbing pain searing through her body.

“RUN!” Venus gasped out desperately, rolling to her feet only just in time to dodge the Beast’s next advance. It towered over her in a mass of thick, matted white fur, and in a breathless, delusional state she swore that its distorted face was something more than just that of an animal. It didn’t matter, her life was forfeit and one of these savage creatures was no less evil than the next, even when this one moved with an intelligence that was lacking in the other monsters she’d fought.

“I won’t leave you!” Serenity cried out like a fool. Didn’t she know she was just doing her job? That her safety was Venus’ battle to win?

“GO!” Venus screamed again, ignoring the immense pain that every punch, every kick, or movement caused her. Or how the force of this creature’s blow knocked the air from her body and sought to break her bones. Her immortal, Goddess-like body was still far stronger than this demon, who grew more berserk and furious the more Venus staved off his advances on her Princess. Somehow, she managed to land another hard kick to the beast’s head, digging her heel into his already irritated eyes and forcing it backward in a daze. 

She stumbled back toward Serenity again, trying to pull her hastily to her feet. The poor girl was trembling all over, tears streaming from her unblinking cobalt eyes as they fixed on the creature behind them.  “It tore off my communicator like it knew what it was!” 

“There is no time, you MUST leave.”  Venus began to scramble, knowing the beast would soon come out of its stupor, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she would last against the unrelenting strength of its attack, how much longer before the pain claimed her. There was no more time for her to be selfish, and if she was about to die, she would die completing her duties to the fullest. 

“What are you doing?”  Serenity asked as Venus began wrapping the orange communicator around the Princess’s wrist.  “NO! Stop that, we’re leaving together! We-”

“Do not fight me Princess, you have to leave. NOW. You are the last hope we have.”

“ **She is** **_miiiiiiine_ ** .” The thing growled in a deep voice that was almost human, but savage and guttural. Venus whipped around, the hair rising on the back of her neck as her eyes met the two orbs of the creature’s eyes glowing back at her through the darkness, the moonlight washing over its horrid visage. 

It crouched in the shadows, an intelligent sort of silence greeting her eyes which were wide with a terror she was failing to conceal. He was clearly more animal than man, yet his front paws were more like hands and he wore a snarl on his pronounced snout that bared his dripping white fangs in the pale light. It prowled forward, and as he came up on his hind legs to walk toward them with hunger in his eyes, Venus began more frantically trying to get her communicator secured to Serenity’s wrist, and finally addressed the beast.

“She belongs to no one, foul creature. Keep to your darkness, and you may feast once she is gone.” 

“VENUS NO!”  Serenity began to struggle against her, clearly catching the same awful vision of this animal seeking to harm her. She shook the panicked girl and dared to ignore the predator walking his circle around them to gaze into her tear-filled eyes. 

“YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE HERE!”  The creature roared, echoing across the barren stone that had once been a garden plush with rose bushes. Serenity screamed, and the heavy footfalls of the Beast drew nearer. Venus didn’t bother to even look. Her fate was sealed anyway.

“Be strong, Princess. I love you.”  The beast roared and lunged the very moment she pressed the button on her faithful communicator, and Serenity’s form faded from beside her.

The last thing she saw of her Princess as she jerked and tried with all of her might to free her arm from Venus’ grasp was her eyes, streaming crystal tears of such sadness and guilt. She might have cried if she wasn’t so relieved, knowing that at that very moment her Princess was safe. 

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?”  It howled, hovering over Venus’s form as she found herself lying in a pool of her own blood, the taste of it in her mouth, and she thought that the sound of the creature’s lament was almost sorrowful. 

“I do not owe you an answer Beast. Now kill me if you must, my duty is done.” 

It snorted, hot breath panting against her sweat slicked skin, and Venus lowered herself to the blood sodden stone in wait for its wretched jaws to claim her life. The creature hovered over her still, each breath a growl rumbling in its throat as he sniffed her.  “Venusian…” 

Venus laughed darkly in her throat, choking on the pain the motion caused, her vision darkening as the creature stood on his hind legs once more. Again, she noted the scattered pearls from Serenity’s communicator, her red cloak crumpled red against the grey stone and gnarled branches. She fixated on these things. These were the only sources of color all around them, or perhaps her vision had simply begun to fail her. She wished the last color she’d ever see, wouldn’t be red. 

And then there was weightlessness, and for a moment, Venus was certain she was dead. 

Pain resurrected her, too weak to even speak when she wanted to scream, she realized the Beast had lifted her into his clawed hand as though she was some rag doll, and carelessly flung her limp form over his shoulder in a motion that made her injuries scream, carrying her off somewhere. She couldn’t tell where, but in her delirium, took note of certain statues and pathways of the garden as the Beast walked. Venus noted that he wore tattered grey slacks, and although he appeared more animal than man, the way he sighed in anger as he carried her away sounded very human. 

The next thing she remembered was the hard impact of being tossed and discarded onto the cold stone floor of a very dark room, sending her rolling twice on the damp and dingy floor. Her already shallow breath whooshing from her lungs, as the pain of her injuries spread through her limbs like wildfire. Venus had expected the Beast to bring her into his lair and make a feast of her, but the jarring sound of the metal door crashing shut behind him when he swept out of the hollow chamber caused a stabbing pain in her head that throbbed the same way the noise echoed throughout the dungeon. She’d barely heard him turn the key to lock her inside. 

She coughed, an involuntary cry escaping from her lips from the agony pulsing through her torn flesh with her every movement, lungs burning when she could finally gasp for air. It felt like the floor spun beneath her, but she tried to lift herself up by her arms to assess her surroundings, but all she found was darkness. She lay back down against the damp stone, shivering from the cold sweat that had broken out over her skin, chills washing over her like waterfalls. Weak, and in more pain than she’d ever felt, she was almost grateful to sink into the depths of a blacker night and let the pain carry her into nothingness.

“No one’s coming…”  Venus whispered to the cold darkness as her eyes closed, hoping she’d never open them again. Everything was still black.

The coming hours, perhaps days, came in terrifying flashes, fevered hallucinations that demonic eyes pierced the darkness to stare at her. Sharp teeth. Rats of obscene sizes scurrying around her limp body while she was too weak to bat the horrible creatures away. The air smelled musty and damp, wherever the Beast had locked her away was cold and hollow, and Venus had no idea how long she lay there on that stone floor. A glimmer of hope, however, was the warmth of her favorite red cloak draped over her. She nearly sobbed with happiness over the familiarity of its fabric, the lingering scent of her perfume still faintly distinguishable. She didn’t even question how it got there.

Each movement she tried to make was a painful shock to her system. This time, Venus fought against it and pulled herself up on her arms to once more assess her surroundings. Thick iron and cold stone surrounded her, filthy cages with empty shackles and the faintest light seeping in from outside through tiny barred windows. Her eye fell on the lock, standard heavy ones common to royal prisons to ensure their captives didn’t escape. She’d be a fool if she didn’t try again, determination in her eyes as her arm lifted a shaking finger, pointed directly at that lock. 

“Crescent Beam!” 

Nothing again. It was as though her magic had been drained from her the very moment she set foot onto the dry turf of this forsaken planet. Sadly, the effort of her incantation for power cost her too much energy, and a dry cough rattled in her chest. She realized just how thirsty she’d become, and there didn’t seem to be any water. At least none clean enough to drink. 

“Magic is lost in this place.” 

Her eyes snapped up, finding the glowing orbs of eyes glaring back at her when he hadn’t been there mere seconds ago. The White Wolf had entered like a towering ghost, silent and unexpected, he’d nearly scared her to death. Venus squinted, but couldn’t quite make out his features. She wet her lips and willed herself to prop herself up onto her arms, to hold his eyes without showing any fear. 

“Why is that?” 

“You will answer my questions since you allowed the Princess to escape.”  He demanded, voice deep and growling. It rumbled in his throat, she could see his fingers clenching and unclenching, twitching anxiously in the shadows. She could see his claws, and her back burned with pain from the reminder. 

“I’ll answer nothing until I’m given water.”  Venus replied stubbornly. 

“I’ll  **make** you speak.” He growled low, lips pulling back from his teeth to bare large serrated fangs as the Beast grimaced at her, keeping so still, so silent that she could scarcely see him breathing. She clamped her jaw shut in defiance, leaving a beat of silence where there was already an absence of sound.  “I’ll gnaw on your bones while you’re still alive if you do not TELL ME the powers of the Silver Crystal. Did the Princess you allowed to escape have the power to wield it? Did she have it in her grasp?” 

Venus’s eyes grew wide, recoiling as his hands slammed against the bars, long gnarled fingers clenched tightly around the iron, shaking them until they rattled with his rage. A show of strength she wasn’t ready to acknowledge. The hollow glow of the creature’s eyes pierced the darkness with an intensity that she was certain she could feel burning into her flesh. 

Shaking with genuine fright, she kept her will strong and held his demon’s glare and made her demand again.  “Water.” 

“You are welcome to die of thirst if that is your wish.”  He snarled, pulling back away from the bars to better conceal himself in shadow. The Beast could not conceal his eyes though, the darkness further illuminating the haunting orbs. His voice came in a whisper that seemed to echo through the empty chamber.  “Tell me… and I will bring you what you ask of me.” 

“Death is preferable.”  Venus spat weakly, shivering when his frustrated growl rumbled against the stone.  “Go away and leave me to it, foul creature.” 

“Your bones are mine to break Goddess… MINE.”  He took a heavy breath, punctuated by a long shuttering exhale. Voice deeper, almost calm when the Beast continued. “I would be reasonable… if you tell me the secrets of the Silver Crystal…” 

“They are not my secrets to tell! Now allow me to die in peace, or perhaps you would like to come into this cell and free me of your possession sooner, cowardly Beast! I will  **_never_ ** belong to you.” 

“FINE!”  He bellowed, those awful eyes burning white in between the iron bars, and in a swift motion when Venus was certain he’d barrel into her cell, he was gone. She heard nothing but the sound of his paws against the stone, rapidly fading in his retreat through the vacant hall. She waited until the sound of his footfalls dissipated back into the silence before she allowed the tears to spill freely from her eyes.

She was alone. 

They should have come for her by now. Rescue missions weren’t uncommon and yet how long had she been locked down there? Surely they would have come for her…

Venus curled in on herself, a violent sob reopening one of the wounds marking her back causing her to cry out in pain. She realized that she’d been abandoned, the Earth too damned and dangerous to risk the rescue, or perhaps something worse had happened. Another attack, another ambush, surely Beryl would make a move if she found out that Serenitatis was left all the more vulnerable in her absence. The thought alone added force in which the next cry of pain and heartache wracked her body, further opening the deep and angry wounds in her back. 

Carefully, she pulled the red cloak around herself and lay back down on the cold stone. It was the only comfort or warmth she could seek against the dampened chill of the prison, but she shivered anyway and cried herself to sleep.

At some point among the fevered dreams, amidst the thick, swirling darkness seeming to breathe all around her like a beast of its own, Venus grew cold. She reached for it, but her cloak had been pulled away, and the astringent sting of someone touching her injured back jarred her awake with a gasp that burned in her chest. Immediately her head swam, and despite the chilled air, cold sweat perspired on her skin and plastered the golden fringe around her eyes to her forehead. She searched the darkness around her, coughing into her hand and gasping from the ache that spread throughout her entire body. She’d grown so weak that she could scarcely hold herself up on her arm, the sound of soft scurrying behind her when she moved to address her silent companion. 

“Who is there?”  Her voice came out as a dry croak, and someone made a small hissing sound as a cough ripped through her chest, agitating her wounds again. 

“Go back to sleep.”  He ordered in a quiet, somewhat raspy tone. Whoever it was, was clearly a younger man and yet Venus found no source for it when she whipped around with bleary eyes in search of this small voice, only to find more darkness.

“I’m in no mood for playing games.”  She warned, but was only answered by a strange, haughty little laugh. 

“You’re in no position to do anything BUT play games. What will you do? Point at me and scream your empty incantation as you did toward the door earlier?” 

Enraged that this being would have the gall to spy on her, Venus sat up quickly, immediately becoming dizzy enough that she thought she might be ill or faint.  “You think that I am some creature caged for your entertainment? Maybe you should spout your mockery at that pale demon and see where it gets you.” 

Somewhere a light shifted, and it was then that she spied a rat, standing about a foot tall, perched on a barrel in the corner. It held a bloodied rag in its claws where he had been attempting to clean her wounds. Mostly, Venus noted the strange russet color of its fur and the way its beady eyes gleamed like two peridots back at her. She thought she might be sick mostly, but the thing scurried toward her with care to keep outside the reach of her arm. 

“Ah, but it is you that has been spying us through our cages, Princess. Is it not entertaining enough for you? Mocking him lost its charm years ago but you, you are something new. Certainly more fascinating than him.” 

Venus sneered, nearly collapsing in her attempt to get away from the sentient rodent.  “Get away you putrid, disgusting-” 

“Are you always so ungrateful to those who try and offer you help? Or has your vanity as a Goddess just made you that much more intolerable?”  He sighed and gestured with the rag still gathered in his paws, and she wondered briefly if she’d become delirious. Being mocked by her own delusions wasn’t entirely out of the question but far less desirable than even the strangest of dreams. Did this strange little creature roll his eyes at her?  “You have the fever, and these wounds will need to be cleaned properly.” 

“I think a rat is far less than qualified to clean anything. Just leave me to my death as your master wishes.”

It scoffed, or she thought it did, as the tall rodent stood and walked toward her with an almost human gait.  “He is not the master of anyone. Though if it is death you’re after, you’re one step into a six-foot hole and I’m not opposed to letting you fall in if that is your desire. No, HE isn’t the master of anyone but we do require the information that you have. HE will torture you, and I will keep you alive to let him. It is best that you speak.” 

Venus roared and took a daring swipe at the small beast, further agitating her wounds only for him to evade the hand. Either she had grown sluggish in her weakened state, or this thing was just that fast. Winded from the most simple of motions, she narrowed her eyes at him and surrendered to lie back down on top of her red cloak.  “As I told that foul demon… I will say nothing. It is my duty to protect what I know and I will gladly die to keep it sacred.” 

“I suppose you think you’re noble.” 

“I suppose you think you’re clever.” 

“Not all of us are as beautiful as you are. Perhaps clever is all I have, but that is far more favorable than YOUR kind.” 

“Get out.”  Venus growled, surprised to feel the harsh prick of tears filling her eyes when the rest of her felt so dried up. The creature huffed, and headed back toward the barrel where she could only assume was a hole in the cracked stone for him to come and go as he pleased. Noting the way he paused, froze in contemplation when she sniffled, and sobs consumed her. Venus never had been the one to cry, not in front of anyone, but she figured her end would come soon enough. Her death would be the punchline to a joke that no one but these creatures would laugh at. The pitiful Venusian. The Rat was gone when she lifted her eyes and suddenly felt sorry for dismissing him. At least she had someone to talk to, even if his intent was cruel.  “Please come back… I’m sorry…” 

Time crawled here, where she was used to a certain passing of time that came from being timeless herself she couldn’t tell if it was night or day because it was always so dark like she was trapped inside some sort of nightmare. She could only assume it was morning, or perhaps evening when she peeled her eyes open to the feeling of hot breath on her face. The awful jaws of the white haired Beast were close enough that he could have sunk his teeth into her jugular and she’d be far too weak to stop him. Her eyes grew wide, feeling helpless as Venus froze with fear beneath him.

“You live.”  He observed in a gravelly voice, sulking back into the shadows as though he were surprised. As though she hadn’t gotten a good glimpse at him. 

She quivered with chills, breath coming sharp and unsatisfying with the unbridled terror building in her chest. The way he crawled on all four of his powerful limbs, large sharp claws accenting the long fingers of a man and the toes of a wolf made her skin bristle. Most unsettling of all were his pale grey eyes, so strangely human, yet they burned with the hostile rage only fitting for a caged animal. She swallowed dryly, eyes wide and fixed on his lumbering form in the shadows, his thick white fur making him appear more like a ghostly horror against the darkness. She attempted to soothe her crack lips with her sandpaper tongue as they stared at each other for a long moment, though for all she knew it could have only been a few seconds.

“For now.”  Venus croaked in return, almost praying for death if only to escape this nightmare where thirst and hunger consumed her and she was too weak to even lift her hand, and it was so cold…  “How long have you kept me here?”

“You will answer MY questions.”  The Beast demanded, a whisper grating against the thick silence. 

“I told you. I’ll tell you nothing. I cannot even sit up so you may do what you will. I’ll not say another word.” 

“Then I will collect your corpse at dawn.”  He snorted distastefully,  “You smell like death.” 

“Better than a wet dog.”  Venus managed, unable to keep her silence she smirked weakly, wincing as a cough rattled in her lungs to interrupt her brief triumph. The Beast lunged at her, slamming his hands against the stone on either side of her head, growling and snarling in her face knowing well that she was too weak to defend herself. Yes, those grey eyes glaring down at her were too crazed to be human she decided, lifting her chin to extend her throat to his jaws defiantly, daringly. Venus glared and narrowed her faded blue stare.  “Do it.” 

“No.”  He growled, eyes narrowing in on her. He took a deep breath inward and reared up on his hind legs to stand, turning his back on her.  “I’ll not give you the satisfaction of a quick death. You earned your suffering many years ago, Venusian… and I would only seek to prolong it.” 

“I have done nothing to wrong you, Beast. I’m of no use to you, you could at least offer some form of mercy.” 

“Like the mercy we were shown when your Queen left us to the  **_SLAUGHTER?!_ ** ”  He roared, whipping back around to face her. Venus used most of her strength to lift herself onto one arm, glaring with a raised brow at his accusation. 

“What are you talking about? Please, I do not understand...” 

“Do not play coy with me. You have the GALL to call ME a Beast, but turned a blind eye as the darkness engulfed us…You.. you are a beautiful monster yourself.” 

Realization dawned on her suddenly. Yes, his intelligent manner, and the way he could speak in full sentences…  “You are not one of them, are you?” 

“Where does the Silver Queen keep her Crystal?”  He barked, ignoring her inquiry. Venus merely clamped her mouth shut, her eyes squeezing shut as the Beast slunk back down on all fours began to pace and circle around behind her huddled form on the floor.  “Those wounds look angry Venus…”  He muttered low, puffing his hot breath into her ear before abruptly pushing her down on her stomach, cheek pressed against the cold stone.  “TELL ME what magic the stone sways against this madness!?” 

“The little that I know will die with me you monster… do what you will to me. I will never speak.” 

Venus drowned out all other noise with an ear shattering scream when his claws dug into the existing gashes on her back, pinning her violently down to the floor.  “TELL ME, can that Princess wield the stone as well?”  Aside from her struggling grunts and deep gasps for air, Venus kept her silence. But her eyes rolled in her head from the pain when he sunk his claws in deeper, and she felt his growl rumble against her ear even when all she could do was scream.  “Why did you risk your life to free her? It will not save her from the inevitable..I will do what I must to-”

“Because that’s what I was born to do!”  Venus yelped breathily, clawing at the stone beneath her in pain, ready to blackout from it. Only then did the creature withdraw his claws from her flesh which once more spilled over with blood, leaving her gasping, and sweating with exhaustion as the stale air hit her wounds. The tears came involuntarily, and she wanted to move, but could not will her burning muscles to do so. Each breath, each sob pure agony.  “Have you never loved? Surely even a creature such as you has known love for something that you would give your own life to save. I would have given my life for hers all over again, even now, if I had to.” 

“YOU MOCK ME!”  He wailed in his growly voice, snapping his teeth in her ear as his clawed hand, dripping fresh with her blood raised to deliver his fatal blow upon her. Venus merely closed her eyes and willed it to come. 

“STOP!”  A smaller, familiar male voice interrupted before the hulking wolf could strike. 

“Stay out of this. She is MY prisoner. MINE!” 

“I would, except you tend to forget that you are NOT, in fact, a monster, and this girl has information that we need.”  The rat’s eyes glowed green through the shadows, seemingly annoyed by the Beast’s dismissive growl.  “Don’t look at me that way. You know I’ve only ever had your interests at heart. Now stop this..” 

“I know that I could eat you in one bite.”  The white beast averted his attention to the oversized rodent, saliva streaming between his teeth, but the russet colored rat only looked a bit bored. 

“That is only the second time today that someone has threatened to devour me.”  He boasted with a sigh and a dramatic wave of his paw.  “You’ll never forgive yourself you know, never be able to come back from it if you kill her.” 

“WHAT DO YOU CARE?”  The wolf howled, and in her delirium, she thought there was sorrow… hopelessness in the tone.

“Because your madness has consumed you.”  The Rat hissed sternly, sighing tiredly as though this conversation had been had too many times before.  “Look, She has made it clear she is loyal to the Silver Crown enough to die for it, which is far more information than we had before. And now she’s bleeding again so I think for today, your job is done. She is worth more to us alive than dead, I think.” 

“Let her die... and I don’t give a DAMN what you think.”  The white wolf grumbled plainly, flinging the cell door open only to slam it hard enough that rubble fell from the ceiling as he stalked from the space. 

“Thank you.”  Venus whispered, still unable to move because anytime she so much as took a breath her back burned so viciously she thought she might be ill. Truly, she wasn’t sure if she would have rather been delivered to death or if she was grateful to the strange Rat who still seemed content just to sneer at her a moment, whiskers twitching in annoyance before she heard the telling shuffle when he scurried away, and fear settled like cold iron in her stomach. The first of her grief stricken sobs jarred and startled her, a pitiful sound that brought an onslaught of tears when she realized she’d been abandoned. That she would die in that cold dark cell as a lonely sacrifice.  “Please… stay with me. I do not wish to die alone.”  Barely a whisper, a faint shuffling in the wall behind her let her know that the haughty Rat had stayed, and through her tears, she offered an unseen but grateful smile.  “I know you’re still there...Thank you, for staying. I don’t know what to call you Rat, but I want you to know that I am grateful to you. I see that something more has happened here, and I am sorry for it. I don’t understand the cause for such chaos, but you see, we had to do what we could to survive too. It helps me to think that maybe you too are missing something, someone, as I am missing my home, my friends, and my Princess. I hope…”  A vicious cough stole her thoughts a moment, and the pain of it strained her voice even further.  “I hope one day you can see the good out there beyond the stars. That someone finds this place and finds a way to cleanse your planet… I hope you find peace, Rat.” 

She was certain that she had died. Something akin to sleep had descended like the thickest of black smoke, or perhaps how it might feel to drown in a lake of hot tar. Only she couldn’t tell if she was hot or cold, only that her skin was damp with perspiration and her mouth felt as though it were full of heavy coins. Dry, with the sharp flavor of metal, which made her cough violently. It came as a hoarse, unnatural rattling sound that caused her to convulse with the force of it, and the pain. Oh, the pain was the worst of it, stemming from her back and spreading to her sore and heavy limbs as though she embodied pain itself until she couldn’t breathe. Surely, death would come soon, and oh how she began to long for it. 

This time, when she opened her eyes it was not the nightmare of pale fur and furious temperament she’d grown to fear more than Metalia herself, but something else lingered in the shadows beyond her vision. Moving, watching with eyes she could not see but Venus knew without a doubt that it fixed its sight upon her, and she wondered what demon would come for her now. 

Whatever it was it was larger than the hulking wolf creature, this thing that seemed to observe her silently, though she swore somewhere nearby she heard the furious whispers of two others. It lurked forward, its beastly head framed by a thick mane of long, wild waves, hands flexing at its side with claws far larger than the other creature that had already maimed her. Her mouth opened and closed to protest, no sound but hoarse cries that only caused a violent cough to wrack her weakened form, filling her mouth with the taste of those heavy coins that she could not swallow. 

Venus cried with tearless eyes as this new horror approached her, lifting her like a corn husk while she so weakly tried to fight.  “No… please….”  Was all she could manage to say as this new nightmare cradled her frail figure in his large paw. 

She wanted to plead for mercy, to thrash and fight for her life when only moments prior she lay on that cold, damp floor and prayed for death. It seemed that even she, one blessed with immortality feared it above all else. ‘No,’ she thought to herself as the creature wrapped her in her scarlet cloak and carried her slowly from the dark cell. That pit of black tar began to tug at her, pulling her under the thick heaviness of unconsciousness as a result of her pitiful attempt to fight the creature and the cough that flared from it, that all consuming pain forcing her body to give up even when she didn’t want to. Venus had never been one to give up, her heart beating so hard in her chest, straining and painful was a reminder to her that above all, she valued life. 

For without life, how could she love?


	4. One Brown, One Blue

Despite the darkness, she was greeted by warmth, the comfort of a soft bed, plush with blankets and pillows. For a small moment, she imagined that she’d been rescued and was tucked safely in her bed of fine silks and airy cushions back in her rooms at the Moon Palace. That whatever dark horrors she’d witnessed were merely the shadows of a war-induced nightmare. 

For the briefest, most intense flickers of hope, Venus thought she was home. 

The wishful reverie faded, stealing all hope as the pain pulsed through her body to remind her of where she was. She’d been positioned on her stomach and stripped, her long length of golden hair pulled away from the mangled flesh of her back and nestled into a soft bed of thick, dark colored velvet in yet another strange room. The scent of old perfume wafted up from the fabric like a ghost, a musky scent that had no doubt lingered there for hundreds of years. Perhaps it was a fond memory to some lover long ago, but to her, it was a fragrant reminder that she was alone, abandoned by those she loved on this decimated planet, and left to die. 

Her pretty face crumpled and buried into the pillow with a heart weighted by fear and homesickness and for once, Venus allowed herself to cry. Tears saturated into the pillows, her fingers gripping the sheets as each sob was another bite of pain sharp enough to steal her breath, initiating a vicious cycle of pain because once she started to cry she couldn’t stop. 

“My, my… what misfortune has brought you here to us, Venus?”  A faint, deep voice hissed, through the shadows. The floorboards creaked and she froze in fear, abruptly halting her cries as though her tears hitting the pillow might make a sound, hardly daring to breathe as she stared wide eyed into the darkness beyond the bed’s curtains.

Something even darker than the rest of the room loomed and shifted in the corner of her eye. She tried not to look, glancing at the door, trying to decide if she was strong enough to run. If this thing was half as fast as the other one, she knew she wouldn’t make it halfway across the room, and yet she thought she should try, but fear had locked her in place. 

Venus squinted, hissing through her teeth as she tried to shift and see the source of this new voice, deep and calm. Familiar even.  “Who lurks where I cannot see? Show yourself.” 

“I cannot.” 

“Well I’m not going to speak, so do your worst. I’m not afraid of you.” 

Her vanity, her shame as a soldier frozen in fear made her lie, though she was trembling all over. The curtains were drawn tight, but faint beams of a very early morning’s light tried to break through the thin openings of the fabric but could not penetrate the thick darkness of the room. Her eyes tried to adjust to little avail, finding only the gleam of two eyes fixed upon her from a towering dark form. 

“Enough blood has been shed for now. I think you’d agree.”  He replied, voice deep and solemn.

“Am I still in Elysium? Or have you brought me to a lair of your own?” 

“I did not believe them when they warned me that the Morning Star would fall, and here you are.”  The towering dark mass laughed darkly in his throat, a demon’s purr.  “And yes, Elysium was here once.” 

“Who warned you?”  She spat, feeling a bit of her strength returning.  “Where have you taken me? Why-”  A coughing fit stole her strong facade, leaving her wheezing and reeling, fingers clenched with white knuckles into the sheets for any bearing against the pain. 

Whatever the creature was, paused until she was breathless and quiet.

“The stars warned me, Goddess. Rest for now, and I will keep you safe if you obey. There is water on the table beside you and medicinal herbs on your wounds. Do not move more than you need to, but there is no reason to be afraid any longer, Ishara.” 

“The stars…”  She whispered, realization flickering across her face, and Venus became overjoyed by the sound of her own name. A name very selectively given, and forbidden to most.  “Night Watchman! Please, it would be such a comfort to see a familiar face! I cannot thank you enough for rescuing me from that monster!” 

“Ah, Princess, I’m afraid my face will comfort no one. For be warned, that we are all monsters here.” 

“Monsters? Nonsense! I always enjoyed our walks together! You were always so handsome, and your voice often soothed my hardest days with the best stories! Surely after everything my company brings you some peace as well.”  In her excitement, she started shifting to try and sit up despite her undressed state, the hope in her eyes surely enough to light up the darkness as she smiled for the first time in days. 

“REST.”  He hissed, voice raspy and unnatural in its anger compared to the calming tones he’d spoken with just moments ago. Venus flinched, recoiling back against her pillow in fear. The darkness bent around his broad, hunched shoulders when the hulking mass of him took an aggressive step toward her.

“You’re not yourself… what’s happened to you?” 

He paused a moment, seeming to take a calming breath.  “You trusted me once, so trust me now. Your wounds have been stitched and cared for. Do not move if you can help it so they mend without further infection.” 

“What do you mean you’re all monsters? Am I now your prisoner? Please I-” 

“Enough questions. You aren’t to leave this room, or I cannot save you from him. The door will remain locked, and my face shielded by the night. Trust that my face will bring you no comfort, but know that yours has lifted my spirits. You have nothing to fear as long as you remain inside this room, Morning Star, for I’m afraid you’ve fallen into an eternal night.”  She squinted harder, knowing the Nightwatchman of the Elysian guard was already a tall, very broad man, and this thing couldn’t have been him. This thing was taller than the door it exited swiftly from, having to hunch in order to make its escape. The room grew deathly silent as the door closed and locked seemingly of its own accord. 

She could hear the floorboards creak and groan with his retreat as though the entire house came alive to mourn whatever ill will had befallen him until the castle went silent like it was listening. Venus stared at the closed door, a tear soaking into the pillow, and she might as well have screamed the way her pitiful whisper rippled through the silence.  “What has happened here?” 

Each morning was the same. A single candlestick would be lit at her bedside, more to illuminate the gold pitcher of stale water and some form of fruit or berries for her to eat, poorly presented on a matching tarnished plate. Her wounds would be covered by a thick salve that burned her nose with its medicinal sting and her bones were stiff and muscles sore from lying in that bed for far longer than she was comfortable. Despite the insubstantial diet, she felt her strength growing, and the pain slowly began to wane. 

When she felt well enough, Venus would get up and check the door each morning, noting how it was always locked as the Night Watchman promised. His warnings didn’t keep her from also testing her powers every morning in an attempt to simply tear it down, though not even a spark of her magic could be summoned. 

“I’m a prisoner here after all,”  Venus muttered to herself, dragging back toward the bed where she would devour the blackberries and apples left for her. Sometimes when she spoke, it sounded like the palace itself moaned in reply, settling loudly on its foundation. Venus sighed and crawled back onto the velvet duvet on the bed.  “I know how you feel…” 

The room itself was positively ornate, a dark and beautiful cage lush with dusty furniture of rich mahogany and luxurious velvet and satin with intricate damask upholsteries with tassels and trim. The woodwork was exquisite and finely crafted, the finery spilling into the ensuite bathroom which didn’t look like it had been used by more than spiders and mice for a very, very long time. Yet everything remained in nearly pristine condition. Not a crack in the porcelain, nor a scratch on the marble, though it appeared that all of the mirrors had either been shattered or removed. 

By day, she left the haven of the four-poster bed’s canopy to further explore the lavish prison she’d been given. In her restlessness, Venus began to dust off old relics, photos of people she’d never met, and cobwebbed crannies of the intricate details carved within the woodwork. She briefly considered scaling up the giant marble and gold fireplace in an attempt to escape, only to find that beyond the heavily draped windows they were several stories high. Venus was not in the market for the swift death she might have begged for only days prior. Not that she had anywhere to go if she could escape.

Nighttime was a different story. Dread best described the night where she found herself awake, clutching the covers up to her chin, her wide eyed stare darting around the dark room expecting some new demon or specter to appear. The palace groaned and shuttered like a dying soldier sprawled across a battlefield on enemy turf, caught in the crossfires of good and evil when it was clear which side had won. The darkness was thick and cold, almost tangible like some living entity, breathing and moving throughout the air with long spindly fingers. She could hear movement beyond her doors and windows, the snarling of beasts. The howling of wolves outside. Scratching within the walls. Monsters all around her. 

Venus swore she was being hunted.

Daylight, if you could call the bleak grey skies outside such a thing, seemed to frighten the ghosts and monsters away. Venus was grateful each morning her eyes opened to the pale grey light of dawn that beamed in between the curtains, unsure when the Beasts might close in to devour and claim her during the dark witching hours. Occasionally, a soft scurrying sound could be heard even during the day, an eerie scratching noise that she told herself was nothing but mice. 

Surely an old castle such as this one had mice, Earthen pests, but the sound was heavier like a cat. Or a giant Rat perhaps, the one that had spoken to her in the dungeon. Venus tried to take comfort in that thought as she slipped from her bed for the day, not that the rodent had been pleasant company. Talking to yourself wasn’t considered crazy if you weren’t really talking to yourself after all. 

“I’m not used to being on my own, you know.”  She began, gathering the remnants of her tattered gown with a shift of her eyes across the room in search of the source of the scratching sound that had woken her that morning. 

She mosied lazily toward the freshly dusted bay window, taking a seat on the cushion to gaze through the smeared glass down toward a dried and barren moor lined by the forest she’d arrived in. The scratching sound grew louder behind her, but Venus didn’t dare look. She heaved a sigh and continued speaking her thoughts aloud as though someone could hear her, even when it appeared that she was very much alone. 

“You would think losing the responsibility of looking after someone would be freeing, but it’s more lonely than I ever could have imagined. I loved my duties, I loved her. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. Surely you don’t understand it… but maybe you do. It’s unfair of me to assume, only I suppose it doesn’t matter now, does it? I’m just so homesick…”  A bitter laugh hummed in her throat and Venus frowned and shook her head, sarcasm dripping from her tone.  “Not that YOU care. Though you could at least be a better host. My dress is torn and I’d like a proper bath if you insist on keeping me prisoner in such an accommodating suite.”

Venus blew a breath through the fringe around her eyes and lifted her gaze toward the gilded ceiling in annoyance at her own ungratefulness. She stood up and began absently running her fingers through the thick length of her hair to try and comb through some of the knots, singing softly to herself. Another shuffling sound made her grow still and silent, resuming once she yet again convinced herself it was just the Rat, even if it was likely that the creature was merely a delusion caused by blood loss and a rampant fever. Being stalked by the small Beast was far more reassuring than the thought of some poor specter trapped and clawing at the walls in an attempt to gain entrance to her supposed safe haven. 

Another day crawled to an end, passing the way weeks or months normally passed in Serenitatis. The darkness would come soon and Venus always tried to be asleep before nightfall because it seemed like the walls had eyes sometimes and she was no less afraid there in that room at night than she had been down in that dungeon. After a few days of being cooped up in solitude with the creaks and groans, and moaning of the house filling her with dread, those scratching sounds keeping her on edge for days, sleep was the only reprieve from her anxiety. Still, someone was creeping in at night as she slept to leave her food and water, so even in sleep, Venus felt haunted. 

All night she could not shake the feeling that she was being watched. Like a child, she’d pulled the covers up over her head until the thin veil of sleep greeted her with ghastly and fleeting dreams. 

_ SCRATCH, SCRATCH… _

She jarred awake, eyes struggling to adjust to the darkness, wide as she slowly pulled the covers down to peer out into the room. It had to be sometime between the hours of Witches and Devils when dreams become intense and bleed into reality. The walls seemed to groan louder, drowning out her gasping breath, the castle itself moaning in the distance beyond her doors like ghosts rattling chains. 

“N-Nightwatchman?”  Venus stammered, blindly searching for the source of the noise, too afraid to speak above a whisper after his chilling warning about monsters.  “Is that you?” 

She prayed, hoped it was her mysterious rescuer as the noise seemed to grow closer, more frantic and furious. Still tender from her injuries, she very carefully shifted to her back, peeking wide eyed like a child over the thick duvet. Nearly as soon as she’d convinced herself she was imagining things and sleep began weighing heavily on her eyelids, the wardrobe just across the room began to knock and shake, rattling unnaturally from the inside. The one time she’d checked the carved doors they’d been locked, so Venus tried to swallow the scream building in her throat. She tried finding comfort that the doors had been secured to no avail, left only able to stare, frozen in terror at the rocking piece of furniture. 

The wardrobe went still and quiet as abruptly as it started shaking and Venus used the silence to blindly reach for something, anything on the nightstand that could be used as a weapon. No sooner had her fingers curled around the handle of a now empty, but rather heavy, gold pitcher a loud clicking sound came from inside the armoire and the double doors swung open on their own. She dryly swallowed and, not daring to put her feet down on the floor, crawled toward the foot of the bed as quietly as she could, raising the pitcher above her head in preparation to strike. She peered over the edge with care, only to meet a pair of beady green eyes that stared back from the thick oriental rug sprawled in front of her bed. 

Venus screamed before she could help herself, piercing the silence with shrill terror as she came face to face with the strange creature, crouched on the floor as though to pounce and inflict it's dark intentions. She flung the heavy gold water pitcher with all of her might, and the monster bared it’s jagged bucked teeth and made a shrill and garbled shrieking sound as it somehow evaded her attack. It sounded odd and frustratingly human. 

“Would you quiet down!? You’ll wake the wolves! It’s me you imbecile, light a match!”  Came a familiar raspy, but small voice.

Venus obeyed, falling back toward the pillows. She struck one of the last matches, her quaking hands fumbling to light the pitiful nubs remaining in the candelabra as quickly as her clumsy fingers would allow. When the candlelight illuminated the small space around her, she turned back around fully expecting to find some grotesque demon, only to find the Rat from the dungeon perched up on the footboard of the bed. His body was hunched, the green eyes that fixed upon her were unkind, hostile even, and vibrant against his russet colored fur. 

“How dare you!”  Venus shrieked, fist clenched ready to pummel him. 

“What? Was it not you lamenting your otherworldly possessions this very afternoon? Of course, women here only dress as… promiscuous as you do here when they are selling their bodies in the capitol. But you may find something more suitable to wear in the wardrobe if you are so displeased with the state of your attire.”

“So you barge in, seeking to scare the life out of me only to insult me, you horrible little thing?! THEN, you wait until now to come and offer me clothes when I am meant to be sleeping!?” 

“So sorry to disturb your slumber,  _ Princess, _ but you are welcome. If you will be so ungrateful then I’ll be more than happy to stop being the errand boy of our mutual friend who apparently deems it necessary to bestow such gifts upon our prisoner.” 

“Errand boy?” 

“Yes… I scoured the palace for suitable fashions since you deem it appropriate to be so dissatisfied when you insist on dressing like THAT. They’ll be dusty but nothing a little air can’t remedy.”  His whiskers twitched in distaste when he addressed her revealing dress. If a Rat could frown then he certainly did so.  “He would have been noticed lugging around the skirts and clothing of women where I could do so discreetly.” 

“Well, at least that explains the scratching noises in the walls.”  Venus paused to smile at the reference to her rescuer, the man she only knew as the Night Watchman of Elysium. A sly, playful sort of smugness tugged at her features, no matter that she was speaking to a giant, sentient Rat.  “So you WERE listening to me these past few days. And all you heard me mourning was the tattered state of my dress? Not my home or the people in it? My duties?”

“I suppose you long for all of the finery gifted to you by the grace of your Queen’s power and immortal blood. Perhaps you even long for your fellow traitors. You were right, I don’t care.” 

“You will choose your next words wisely, especially if you will address my friends and comrades as traitors.” 

He lifted two paws in the air in defeat and scurried onto the blanket at the foot of her bed despite the hostile narrowing of her eyes.  “Fine, perhaps I felt a little poorly about how you’ve been treated and thought that I would be a better host for you, as you put it, and offer you some better clothes before you catch a cold and we are forced to cater to you even more.”  His whiskers twitched and in an all too human manner glanced off to the side in apparent despair.  “And I DO understand. The loneliness of no longer having someone precious to look after. The uselessness you feel.”

Suddenly her heart was breaking for the creature for reasons she had yet to understand, brows furrowed as she gazed upon him with sympathy. He seemed far less monstrous suddenly, almost tragic.  “Do you have a name?” 

“Why? What good would it do? You call me Rat, and that’s likely fitting. I could chew open your throat, thought about it even, but he pities you. Trusts you for some reason. You bring him hope, so I give you dresses in hopes that his optimism is infectious.” 

“The Night Watchman?” 

“Whatever you call him is better than what he actually is. So sure.” 

“Please tell me what has happened here? What’s happened to you?”  His beady green eyes seemed to search hers in the candlelight for a moment and already she felt her own glass over in fear, as it looked like he might scurry away. The palace groaned loudly, both of them glancing at the door briefly only to meet gazes again.  “Please tell me? At least tell me your name so I can properly thank you.” 

“You really don’t know the truths about what happened here…. Do you?” 

“All I know is that a horrible evil has possessed this planet. I know that the man my Princess loves is dead and I have spent the last five hundred years fighting to keep my Queen alive and my Princess safe. You must believe me when I say we would have helped you had we known!”  Venus watched the Rat’s whiskers droop as though they were weighted down by the urgency of her tone, the watery sincerity of her eyes. 

“If it is truly that bad, then it is far too late.”  The Rat sighed and turned as though he would leave.

“No!”  At her passionate outcry, the Rat looked up, halting his retreat with widening emeralds for eyes at the smile that began to light up her beautiful features.  “I can help you! If you tell me what magic has tainted you and help me get home then I can-” 

“I cannot.” 

“Is that all anyone around here can say? Is hope truly so lost?” 

“If anyone with a brain left in their head, which I’m the only one left it seems, can figure out the darkness at play on this cursed planet or help you return to your beloved Silver Queen it is me. And I REFUSE to help your kind. I’d say that’s a fair trade to the treatment we were offered.” 

“Oh, you are impossible.”  Venus huffed, glowering down at the very mangey, humanesque rodent who spoke and gestured like a prince, self righteous like he had a place to be.  “Perhaps if you weren’t so arrogant you could have gotten yourself out of this mess long ago. You are NOT the only one with a brain, there are others, yes? The Night Watchman is more than capable of-” 

‘Are you in love with him?” 

Heat rose to her cheeks, no doubt adding a very flattering shade of flush to them and her heart began to flutter irrationally at his inquiry.  “What? No… he’s just always been so kind, and wise, and the only other person on this planet that I know besides…”

“Besides?” 

“The Prince.” 

“Oh.”  It stumped the Rat into silence, something sad and longing that Venus could feel in the undercurrents of love and loss that the rodent suddenly seemed to embody.

“Is that who you cared for? As the Night Watchman did once? I’ll ask you again what has happened? Perhaps between myself and your so-called brilliant mind, we can figure this out.” 

His mouth opened to speak, and he made a squeaking sound only fitting for a proper rat and seemed to deflate where he sat.  “It does not matter. If I wanted to tell you I can’t, and I wouldn’t if I could. There is nothing someone like you could do.” 

“You are quite small you know.”  Venus pointed out, earning a hateful hiss from the Rat that made her blanch. 

“And YOU are too self important to think that you have any bearing here. That someone like YOU could ever help US.”

“Someone like me?” 

“Vain.”  He hissed, causing her to shiver. The memory of Beryl’s pet name for her fresh and cold in her mind. The similar hissing tone in her voice...but the Rat was something different. Certainly not a Dark Kingdom drone, the Rat was far too articulate for that.

“Hm.”  She hummed quietly in partial understanding, only mildly offended, but it was clear that there was more at play here than was willing to tell. Or as he said, perhaps he couldn’t.  “I think Mercury would rather like you.” 

“Mercury?” 

“Yes. I often annoy her with my relentless questions and optimistic enthusiasm. She is beautiful you see, but she is as kind as she is brilliant and often she forgets that her mind is not all that defines her.” 

“Doesn’t sound like she wants to be your friend any more than I do.”  He shifted and made himself more comfortable, something about what Venus had said clearly catching his attention.  “But you say she is beautiful as well as intelligent? I’d say brains are a better attribute than beauty but I do sympathize entirely, having both qualities myself.” 

“Is that so?”  She mused, brow lifted at the arguably disturbing looking Rat as she sat back against the pillows, the candlelight revealing more of her wry grin.  “Yes. Her hair and eyes are blue, her body lithe and graceful like a swan, but she is far smarter than even you. And despite our differences, we’re great friends.”

“But… How?”   
  


“Don’t insult me or I’ll toss you in a pillowcase and roast you over the fire… If I had logs for it that is.” 

“Oh please, I am threatened by worse things daily, you don’t scare me. There is a rather large snake in the garden who...nevermind that, go on and tell me why this smart woman is such a good friend of yours.” 

“Well, about this time of year she would always freeze the lake so we could have an ice skating competition. Mercury always loses.” 

“What does that have to do with anything? What do you mean she freezes the lake?”

“It is her power, silly Rat!”  He rolled his eyes when she laughed at his expense, whiskers twitching with a less than amused sneer.  “She is humble! I thought you were supposed to be smart! Mercury knows she will always win at challenges of the mind or swimming, so she chooses ice skating because she isn’t very good. She knows that WE will have fun, and it is something for her to improve on. A challenge.” 

“I see… so if Mercury is such a good friend of yours, why hasn’t she come to rescue you? No doubt with her superior brain she could come to save you.” 

Her expression shifted to one of despair, feeling the loneliness and abandonment sink like a stone in her gut from the haughty inflection in his voice.  “She is needed, now more than ever to protect our Queen and our Princess. I am needed too..or else..” 

“Forget it.”  Regret pulled his whiskers downward again and he stood, ready to depart with his tail slumped and dragging behind him.  “Sorry I brought it up. But you may use whatever dress you like. Your Night Watchman wanted you to be more comfortable.” 

“Oh, so that wasn’t your own act of kindness.” 

“No.” 

“Well, it was an act of kindness that you did not have to oblige. As you said, you very well could have just chewed open my throat. So in some way, I suppose I still owe you thanks.” 

“Indeed. I guess I didn’t have to…”

“So of your own free will, grant me a selfless act of kindness and tell me your name.”  She asked, softening her tone with her own lonely desperation.  “I do not think anyone should have to be known as Rat.” 

He paused, lingering just a moment on the floor by the bed, teetering on the line of candlelight and darkness he lifted his twitching nose in thought as though he tried to remember, and kindly spoke. 

“Zoisite. My name is Zoisite.” 

A few lingering scratching and scurrying sounds in the darkness and Zoisite was gone, leaving Venus to cry herself to sleep alone.

On account of her late night intruder, she slept later than she normally would have. She might have even chalked it up to a dream had the wardrobe doors not been left hanging wide open, revealing a rack thick with rich colors and luxurious fabrics. Too much fabric for her taste. Venus ran her hand along the line of garments, sauntering past en route to the ensuite bathroom to assess the state of it. She was  _ desperate _ for a proper bath. 

Venus cleaned it the best she could given the limited resources she had, holding her breath when she tried the tap to see if Earth’s more primitive plumbing was anything like what they had on the Moon. The castle seemed to groan from the exertion she asked for by merely turning on the faucet, the pipes rattling as a thick, blackish brown goop began spewing into the tub. 

“Oh come on now… please?”  Venus muttered to herself, praying to whatever deity would listen for clean water. 

Just like that, after a few moments, the water ran clean. She hopped to her feet with a triumphant yelp, still minding her healing wounds as she skipped back into the bedroom while the tub filled. A very distinct scratching sound greeted her and Venus merely rolled her eyes, pulling the doors of the wardrobe open even wider to assess her options. Nestled front and center at the bottom of the armoire was a vial of crystal and a small torn card that merely read: “ _ N _ .” 

“Thank you, errand boy.”  Venus smirked, amused with herself for the usage of Zoisite’s loathed title as the Night Watchman’s messenger though she wished her familiar friend would visit her himself. Along with her still rather unsubstantial breakfast she’d begun finding trinkets and small gifts each morning, all left with a simple little card simply signed “ N ”. Jewel encrusted combs, necklaces, candles, brooches, and now what appeared to be oils and soap for her bath, delighted that it smelled like lilies. 

The scratching sound continued, intensifying to a frenzied scramble when she pulled the tattered remnants of her dress over her head, baring herself to the chilled morning, and discarded it to the floor. Venus narrowed her eyes toward the back of the wardrobe, through the thick curtain of hung dresses and she began to file through them in search of something new to wear. Her lips curled in a satisfied smirk when the room went silent and selected a very plain shift of an underdress. 

“That’s what you get for spying Zoisite… and tell him thank you for me.”  She scolded the air in hopes the giant Rat was listening, spinning on her heels to go enjoy her bath.

The water was hot enough to turn her pale skin pink, warm steam wafting the floral scent into her rooms adding life to her small piece of the castle that had been absent for many hundreds of years and Venus was content to soak in the fragrant water until it was cold. So she spoke, whether or not she heard the signature scratching in the walls she felt less crazy speaking if she thought someone, Beast or ghost, was listening. 

“I don’t care if you spy on me, you know,”  She began in a haughty tone,  “but you might as well not hide yourself. I won’t be speaking about whatever secrets you think I have but I can tell you more tales about Mercury if you’d like. There are others like me, of course, I have many stories about them too.”  Venus frowned and sank further into the water, watching the bubbles and oils dance on the surface.  “I might be less lonely…” 

She spoke almost all day. To Zoisite, if he was near, or the air if she had to be content with her solitude. Perhaps she spoke to the castle itself since it insisted on shifting and creaking, moaning like lost ghosts roaming the hallways. Even as she dried off and pulled on the thin white slip of a dress she’d left to air out on the bed, she told stories about her friends. Personal things, memories, even petty annoyances she’d come to miss beyond reason, but she never once said a word about the Silver Crystal or the fallen Alliance that Earth had once belonged to.

That night, she wistfully reminisced about Mars and all of her dark beauty as the shadows grew long and dark and the daylight began to fade with hopes for sweet dreams of dark hair and scarlet lips. Fond memories of warmth and companionship brought Venus company while she climbed into bed with a yawn. As always, she was eager to turn in before the night grew too dark and turned her rather comfortable prison into a chamber of her worst nightmares. 

When she did find sleep, it was troubled. Every sound feasted upon her already frayed nerves, jarring her from sleep with every whisper of wind that blew through the sprawling towers and turrets of the castle beyond her window. Wolves howled and cried out in the night, causing her flesh to crawl with their hollow laments that echoed throughout the creaking halls of Elysium. Floorboards groaned louder than usual, wood shifting just outside of her door, the scrape and click of the key in the lock, the movement of something large crawling into the thick darkness of the room. Venus curled her fingers tightly into the sheets beneath her and prayed that only her Night Watchman had the key to her chamber. 

  
  


He sniffed the air upon entry, sighing a breath of euphoria like a lover’s caress. Venus did her best to keep her breathing deep and even, pretending that she’d remained asleep. No matter how careful this Beast tried to be as he stalked closer to her bedside, the floorboards creaked under his weight. With care, he pulled the covers slowly away from her back, and cold, rough fingers gently grazed where the faded remnants of her wounds had been. Gentle as a lover with the threat of talon like claws that had torn through her immortal flesh with the ease of a hot knife through butter. 

The memory alone caused her to move stupidly, reaching for the singular candle she’d purposefully left lit on her bedside table to help ward off these nightmare creatures. This Beast, the one who seemed so much like her beloved Night Watchman, recoiled back into the shadows with a low growl and bitterly hissed. 

“Stupid girl!” 

“Says the one sneaking into my room in the middle of the night! I’m surprised you just didn’t send Zoisite to come nearly scare me to death again.” 

“I could have hurt you!” 

“Could have, but if you wanted to hurt me you would have done it by now! But instead, you saved me from that  _ monster- _ ” 

“My claws are as sharp as his...”  He hissed, eyes flashing in the dark.  “Do not mistake my actions for kindness. What I want is as hungry as I am and I dare not ask you for it. If you were anyone else…” 

“You’re being unreasonable. Are you, or are you not the Nightwatchman who caught my fancy many years ago?” 

“Many,”  The creature scoffed and Venus felt his eyes fix so intensely upon her that she shivered.  “You speak as though it’s not been so close to five hundred years. So close…” 

“Well, that’s no time at all.”  She folded her arms and glared toward the corner of the room, hugging her arms around her for leverage against the trembling in her limbs. 

The Beast growled, clearly unamused.  “And you wonder why we point the finger…” 

“Point your finger where you like, it doesn’t change the fact that we were blinded to the troubles on Earth until it was too late. Were YOU given enough warning? Because the Alliance was never asked for any aid against it…” 

“I won’t argue. There’s no point in it now.”  He said low, with a bitter edge.  “Perhaps knowing that I had your attention once is enough…” 

“It IS you!”  Venus exclaimed, the broad silhouette of him tensing when she grabbed for the candlestick and slipped from the bed rushing a few steps toward him. He snarled, such inhuman noises, and took a long stride away from her. He’d always been tall, but this dark creature dwarfed her enough that she thought she was being deceived.  “Or this is a trick and you think I’ll speak if you can earn my trust…” 

“I am sorry to hear that I don’t have it. I know better than to ask anything of you. I assure you that at this point, your company suffices.” 

“All due respect, my company is forced.”  She shifted on her feet nervously, her fingers winding into the ends of her golden hair.  “How can I be so sure that it is you if you do not show your face?” 

“Because I’d rather you remember the man that you fancied.”  He seemed to inhale again, his gaze becoming tangible as she lifted the candlestick once more to illuminate her visage. His words came awestruck and breathy like he was experiencing something splendid for the first time in his life.  “You look so beautiful.”

“Flattery now?”  She wanted to sound offended but felt her cheeks grow warm from the vague and very distant memory of his face. Rugged, handsome, mysterious… long waves of soft chestnut locks…one blue eye, and one brown...

“I am glad that you received my gifts. I hope they are to your liking. There is more treasure buried in this kingdom. Whatever you desire of it, it is yours.” 

“Yes, I suppose, for the moment at least, that I will forget that I’m angry with you to tell you that I am grateful. Even if I had to clean my own bath to make it suitable…and your kitchen could be better accommodating.”  Careful not to spill the candle wax on her skin, Venus folded her arms and shifted on her feet, chin lifted to try and hold this creature’s gaze.

This made him chuckle, though Venus found that it sounded more like a wildcat purring loudly.  “It is the very least I can do in hopes to keep your affections, and with hope, make you more comfortable. The gowns, the jewels, proper toiletries-” 

She stepped forward again, corralling him back another step. The thin silk of the gown she wore offered little warmth or modesty as it slipped and floated around her with every motion. Soon he’d have nowhere else to hide, the daylight causing the shadows to run thin like ink diluted with water.  “You forget that you also healed my wounds and protected me. You saved my life…”

“If there is a life on this planet worth saving Ishara it’s y- I can promise that the creature who harmed you will not do so again. But know that I have felt the same hopelessness that drives his bloodthirsty rage. Such violence is all consuming, possessing… and I’m afraid that he is lost to it.” 

“You say that you are all monsters, and yet I cannot see the truth in those words. Not from you, when you still value life.” 

“I value YOUR life.”  The Night Watchman insisted, sighing tiredly.  “Your life might be the only one on this cursed planet that matters.” 

Venus took another step forward. It was likely that he could hear the way her heart thrummed hard against her ribcage as she lifted the candle slightly toward the towering mass of shrouds. The Beast made a horrific guttural sound and it seemed as though he might bolt towards the door, but he only tensed in place. A huge, clawed hand lifted toward the candlelight to stop her, withdrawing when she breathed in a sharp, terrified gasp. She nearly dropped the heavy candelabra but she squeezed the metal in her palm, the single flame quivering in tandem with her hand when she tried to lift the candle again.

“STOP.”  He commanded in a thundering voice, and she did. Venus squinted her blue eyes through the waning darkness to try and see detail, some familiar feature or remnant sign of his appearance that would identify him. 

“Tell me your name. If that IS you then surely you would rather be addressed by something other than The Night Watchman.” 

“Since you thought to honor me with the knowledge of your true name once, you may call me Nephrite.”  He offered, seeming to relax again. His voice this time held no guttural growl, or purring rattle but the smoothness of sincerity. A bold depth that she did recognize, remembering how she’d dreamed of falling in love. 

“Nephrite...yes, I remember.”  Venus repeated, barely a whisper between her full lips which she wet nervously.  “If I am to trust you as you’ve asked me to, you’ll have to do better than gifts. My trust is not easily bought, and I want to believe it is you who so long ago walked with Serenity and I… but you could be priming me for the slaughter and I’d be none the wiser. I’d be a fool to allow my loneliness to let me trust so easily.” 

“Ishara, I’d never-”

“Prove it.”  Venus dared to demand, staring at the Beast where his eyes still gleamed, still trying to make sense of any betraying feature.  “Monster or man, let me see you. The Night Watchman I knew feared nothing. If you ARE the soul I know you to be, then you have no reason to fear showing yourself to me. Keep hope… please? I cannot help you if you don’t trust ME for a change.”

  
  


A low growl rumbled in his throat like the disdainful groan of a wild jungle cat when she extended the light of her candle toward him. She hoped that the earnest sincerity in her eyes would be enough to sway him forward because the sound he made was dark and hostile but Venus had nothing more to lose. After a long pause of tense silence, he finally deflated and heaved a long mournful sigh. 

With reluctant hesitation, Nephrite stepped into the candlelight. It took all of her courage not to scream. 

First, his foot, a huge paw with claws that scratched gently against the hardwood floor as he slipped into the small circle of light. The only thing left of the man she remembered was the thick flowing mane of chestnut waves that framed a beast’s monstrous face, now unkempt and matted with neglect. Fangs gleamed in the candle’s light, protruding from feline lips that grimaced in an almost human fashion revealing more sharp and deadly teeth from a Lion’s snout. Worn and tattered cloaks draped over his powerful shoulders, concealing ripped up grey pants and thick tawny fur that had replaced smooth skin. 

“Are you happy Princess? Your curiosity sated?”  He growled low, in a similar manner to the first creature she’d encountered which pulled her back into his dark reality.  “You say I should trust you, and yet you quiver with fear at the sight of me! How can I trust what fears me? And if you trusted me ever, then perhaps you SHOULD be afraid.” 

She hadn’t realized how much she was trembling. That tears of disbelief, fear, and confusion trailed down her cheeks, glistening in the candlelight. Venus cleared her throat, her breath shaking as she tried to regain her composure. Her every muscle tensed with that instinct that screamed  _ DANGER _ , urging her to run when instead, she willed herself to take another step, bringing the light with her as she came closer to peer more closely into his face. Squinting to search for anything left of Nephrite. 

One blue eye, one brown met her uncertain stare. Venus focused her gaze into the windows of his tortured soul while he unflinchingly stared back into hers. They then very slowly began to rove over her face as though she were the oddity, and Nephrite became quite fascinated with the manner in which she chewed on her bottom lip. A bad habit her guardian Artemis had scolded her for since she was a child and yet at that moment, it was a very different memory that jarred her. Venus had been in this place before, standing before him with his strange eyes locked with hers in contemplation of a kiss. Only now she contemplated his soul.

The one eye was a russet brown, like honey in the light of a setting sun, warm and inviting, even kind. But Nephrite held his bravery in this eye, bold and fearless. His other eye was a calming pale blue like the morning sky during the springtime. There were stars in that eye and he used it to read them, to speak to them. Stars that only spoke to Nephrite, and Nephrite alone. 

“It IS you!”

“Yes.”  He admitted, deliberately tearing his wounded gaze away as though the sight of her burned him.  “I am undeserving to look upon your beauty, but-”

“Nonsense.”  Venus gathered what small bit of courage she had to reach out with a comforting hand to place on the fabric of the shroud he wore, ashamed of being so afraid to touch him directly. Touching him meant that monsters were real, and he flinched at the affection.  “I am tired of the shadows, Nephrite, and I am tired of being afraid.” 

“So am I.” 

“Is it necessary that you keep me locked up? A girl could go mad in here you know... “ 

“I said I would keep you safe. This is keeping you safe."

“Tell me what’s happened to you.”  She demanded, knowing of anyone here it would be Nephrite to tell her. The sooner she knew, the sooner she could possibly find her way home. Serenity was likely wrought with grief from her loss, guilty and heartbroken when they needed her strong, and Venus needed to know that her Queen was safe. If Beryl got her claws around that Silver Crystal, then Metalia would have all she needed to finish tearing down the last of the Silver Millennium. 

“I can’t. I would tell you if I could, but there’s no use to it and to be truthful I don’t think any of us understand it. But enough of that… I only wanted to make sure that your wounds were healing properly.” 

“Mm, yes. Thank you.”  Venus drew back, unsatisfied with his answer but knew better than to push it further. It was hard to look at him, and as his clawed hand reached for her she couldn’t help but recoil. He seemed to understand in a way but how could he? How could he know the creatures she’d slaughtered that looked less terrifying than he did standing in the dim light of a single candle?  “But I can’t stay in here forever.” 

“I know.”  She felt bad for the sorrow on his tone, and in a sheepish manner, face down to avoid catching his reflection, Nephrite pulled an ornate hand mirror, gold with scarlet roses embossed in it.  “I meant to leave this for you. There aren’t many mirrors left intact in the palace, but thought you might like to have it.” 

He extended it toward her in his paw, and for a moment she eyed the treasure, feeling horrible suddenly for her own vanity for the glee the item brought her. Had she not been holding that candle she might have flung herself into his embrace, but instead she rested her hand on his paw for a moment, trying not to notice the bristle of his fur to her touch before accepting the trinket.  “Thank you.” 

It seemed to mean something, or she hoped it did regardless of the terror that didn’t cease to crawl along her skin, more in waves of sorrow than disgust.  “Things are complicated but I promise, you are not a prisoner.”

“But I am.”  Venus disagreed, shooting him a disapproving look at his blatant lie.

Barely discernibly a softer growl, frustrated, rumbled in his throat and much the way he’d left before, Nephrite turned to leave. The door shut, the lock clicking as to confirm her confinement, and the house as he traveled down the long hallway groaned and creaked with his departure. Then it was silent. No scratching or scurrying, only the kind of silence that rang bells in her ears, broken by a disbelieving breath that escaped her lips, blue eyes lingering on the door as though she expected a man to walk back through and tell her it was all a horrific joke. 

Nephrite was a monster, but it gave her hope that maybe Serenity was right. Perhaps Endymion was alive too, a hope that maybe she could bring Queen Serenity the Golden Crystal for aid after all. 


	5. Despite All My Rage I Am Still Just A....

Dull light intruded in dusty beams that sprawled throughout the halls. The palace had been so quiet until she arrived, so slowly decaying around them and forcing them to occupy a small fraction of the palace while the rest lay in ruin. Even then as he traveled the vacant corridors, the pads of his paws heavy but silent against the stone, the castle seemed to moan like an injured deer left to suffer and die. It was worse late into the night when he stayed awake to read the stars and long ago he had thought the sound of pained groans came from the unresting ghosts of his people. Furious. Betrayed. 

It turned out that the Castle itself was mourning, crumbling its way into a slow dilapidated grave to orphan them all.

Nephrite heard the scurrying, the shuffling footfalls of tiny paws against the stone, and rolled his feline eyes toward the ceiling. For such a small little demon, the smallest of them, the Rat certainly made the most noise.

“What is it Zoisite?”  He growled, keeping his eyes forward down the hall without breaking his steady pace. 

“Kunzite grows suspicious. He feels that the girl has had enough time to heal and is ready to… question her more. Tonight.” 

“Are you so concerned? First, you warn me that he'd nearly killed her, and now that his patience is running thin you’re afraid?”  Nephrite did little but shift his eyes toward the oversized Rat running along the sideboard table beside him. 

“Pfft, let him have her. Besides, she was HIS prisoner and you KNOW how he is.”  Zoisite scoffed, hopping from the table to climb his tattered cloak and perch upon his shoulder. It made the skin beneath his fur itch. None of them could stand to be around the others for long, though in recent days Zoisite’s presence had very much worked in his favor. Having someone silent and small to keep his secrets about his secret arrangements to care for Venus safe. Either way, Nephrite was no fool, he knew how likely it was that the Rat had his own agenda in mind. 

“Yes. Kunzite is passed rational thought and you know it. He went too far when he wounded her that way. He could have killed her.”  He replied, his tone calm and easy.  “You think she can help us, don’t you? Even if she is one of them?”

“I never said that.”  Zoisite bit with that same old arrogance that grated on Nephrite’s nerves, but he knew better than to believe him. He was a Rat after all, and a pompous one at that.  “I thought perhaps you would have heard something to warn us of her arrival ahead of time or have the stars finally forsaken you and gone quiet?” 

A fanged lion’s sneer twisted his lips.  “I may have heard something about the Morning Star falling from the sky but the star’s messages are cryptic at best. You betray your intentions, Zoisite. You know that I am the only one of us who can stand up to him now, and you want to help her.” 

Zoisite rolled his beady peridot eyes and twitched his whiskers impatiently.  “I may be small but I did just fine against our Wolf friend on my own, thank you very much. After all, if we are going to get any information out of this girl then we need her alive, yes?” 

“You are hopeless.”  He accused with a hardened look from his blue eye that did very little to sway the selfish Rat. Nephrite sighed. 

“I have no reason to have hope.”  Zoisite hissed. “The shadows grow long, I only thought you should know that Kunzite will seek the girl out tonight. Soon. What you do is your choice, I do not warn you for her sake. We both know how easy it would be for him to sniff her out if he was so motivated, and you know as well as I how motivated he can be.” 

“Motivated is not a word I think of when I think of the madness that’s consumed him. He has little of his soul left to lose.”  He reminded,  “Your efforts are perhaps better allocated elsewhere.” 

The rat shifted his eyes, glaring toward him.  “We have all lost our reason in some ways, but there is little of his humanity left. If you recall, the last time you confronted him he nearly chewed off your arm. I think you and I both know that he would have never forgiven himself if things had gotten any bloodier. If he’d have graver injured you… or her.” 

“Yes,”  It was true, all of them had gone mad in the long stretches of loneliness, seeing monsters in each other and forgetting in absent moments that they were also monsters. Except Kunzite had gone mad and embraced his grief, his insanity. Nephrite sighed, knowing well what he needed to do.  “He will hunt her without remorse when he finds out that she’s no longer in the dungeon. I will go.” 

“Then what are you waiting for?”  Zoisite questioned darkly, not waiting for him to reply before he was scurrying down his clothes only to disappear into whatever crack in the stone walls he’d utilize to vanish entirely. 

Nephrite laughed a little in his throat.  “So he CAN be quiet.” 

Twilight approached, meaning Kunzite would be awakening to patrol and hunt the grounds of Elysium, killing whatever trespassed into their territory, Venusian Goddesses included. As much as it pained him to admit, Zoisite was right and Kunzite would be anxious to check in on his prisoner. He could only deter the wild Wolf for so long with his claims that the girl needed to heal before her absence in the dungeon would be noticed.

Somewhere deep within the castle, something crumbled. Falling stone and groaning wood released a shuttering moan that echoed through the halls like a vengeful spirit. His amusement fell, and Nephrite headed toward the dungeon. No matter where he went, it was just another prison. The castle and even the grounds surrounding it were protected by a force field they had yet to discover a source or reason for. Like a bell jar around their tiny, insignificant world. To them, it was just another cage to keep the beasts inside. 

Some cages were more pleasant than others, and the dungeon was not one of them. One day, long ago and forgotten, the door had been ripped from its hinges in a fit of blind rage. Nephrite could already smell the dampness in the air, stale with age and darkness as he slinked underground where the only light filtered in through the barred slats in the stone near the ceiling that marked where ground level was. 

The air was cold, the cells long empty except for the skeletal remains of rats and the few prisoners they’d kept once upon a time, all dust and decay, an empty void of it. Empty like the cell where Venus had been left to die with nothing more than the faint scent of lilies and sunshine that still lingered. A mockery of the scent the Wolf would be expecting, the scent of death. 

Nephrite’s keen ears caught the sound of his approach, a deep inhale from the top of the stairs in search of a scent that he would not find. A low, rumbling growl echoed down toward him as the Beast descended the stone stairs on all fours, silent and monstrous, all pale fur and muscle with the grace of a deadly killer. His eyes pierced the darkness with their preternatural glow, seeking the sunlight that he’d stolen, where Venus had only left the empty gloom behind her. Nephrite knew that his own scent would overpower even the slightest notes of the lilies and honeysuckle she smelled of, so there was no surprise when Kunzite’s hostile glare snapped toward him immediately. 

The door to the empty cell had been left hanging open, only to be flung from its hinges with one powerful swipe of the Wolf’s clawed hand, ripping the silence open with a violent, bone-chilling roar.  “WHERE IS SHE!?”

Nephrite narrowed his eyes, shaking his head in the slow assessment of the thing that his Commander, his friend, had become.  “You’ve gone too far this time. I have always been vocal when you were being cruel, my friend, but this time you’ve been a fiend. You could have killed her.” 

“Where. Is. She?”  The Wolf growled low, his hackles raised and eyes wild with barely suppressed fury.  “She had BETTER be dead.” 

“Or what?”  Nephrite frowned, gazing upon the menacing Beast almost sadly,  “You will hunt her down and finish your dirty work? No creature, save for you or I, deserves the torment that you’ve given her no matter how deeply you feel that she’s wronged you. Directly or not.”

“She is MY prisoner, MINE! Where did you hide her?”  Even his voice, once calm and deep, smooth and as steady as an undisturbed lake, became monstrous and garbled. 

“I’m warning you Kunzite. You’ll never forgive yourself if you do it.” 

“You speak as though I still have a soul to save. One I care to keep.”  He warned, eyes flashing in the dark. Strings of drool seeped between his jagged sharp teeth, and his chest heaved with the rage he could no longer control, eyes empty and wild as they fixed on Nephrite with malice.  “Perhaps you should worry about saving your own, and allow me to deal with our guest.” 

The Lion and a Wolf stared the other down in a silent battle over territory neither had the right to own. Nephrite knew this, and the way he’d called her their guest unnerved him, but he felt the possession just the same. He wanted her for himself too, but not like this.  “She is no prey to be hunted or prisoner to be exposed to your ruthless thirst for Alliance blood. You’ve cursed everything between the stars and Hell for centuries when we are the ones who have been damned. Do you not think there was a reason for it?” 

“You speak too much. She was foolish enough to trespass in my territory. Give her back to me she’s MINE.” He commanded again, long fingers tensing at his sides and eyes blazing with predatory intent. 

“No.” Nephrite said, narrowing his eyes, even daring to step forward causing Kunzite’s hackles to rise in defense. “She was nearly dead and trapped here with no magic to defend herself with. You’ve played your game and now I will clean up your mess. The girl is the leader of the Alliance’s army, they’ll be weakest without her. She could help us.” 

“SHE CANNOT EVEN HELP HERSELF!” 

Nephrite chuckled despite himself, more a strange cross between a purr and a growl. A playful word he might have offered once just to rile the stoic Commander of the Middle East. Now it was just asking for a fight. “From what I hear, she kicked YOUR ass. Magic or no, I wouldn’t exactly call her helpless.” 

Kunzite might have grinned, but it was more a baring of teeth, wide and malicious like he’d found a scared rabbit to hunt instead of a Lion.  “I will rip your throat out and hunt her down myself if you won’t tell me. The smell of death is not so easily hidden, and the other wolves would feast on your flesh. Perhaps I shall feast upon hers.” 

“I would invite you to try, but you’d never forgive yourself. Your cruelty and guilt have already robbed you of your humanity as our sins have robbed us of ours. Time has only driven you into madness and I fear if you go any further there will be nothing left of you, my Brother.”  Nephrite gazed upon him, a sullen expression on his haggardly feline features. 

“You know NOTHING.”  Kunzite bit, jaws snapping viciously. He growled low in his throat, preparing to lunge, but Nephrite pleaded with his bi-colored eyes through the dark. The only thing left of himself he recognized, and perhaps it was the same recognition briefly flashing in the Wolf’s piercing stare. 

Kunzite had always been a cold soul. The strongest of all of them in body and mind, the leader of Earth’s armies, unbreakable. So Nephrite had always thought. He’d always been quiet, stoic, but cruel, with an eruptive temper fit to make the Gods tremble before him. Never in his life had he been known to show more than brief flickers of emotion so to see him so possessed by his grief, so consumed by his anger, unable to bear the guilt and failures that had befallen him was perhaps the most tragic loss of all. 

He’d been the first of them to give in to this curse, this creature now entwined around his soul, embracing whatever dark magic gifted them with these monstrous forms and insatiable bloodlust. A wolf, white as winter and as cold as Kunzite had always been, and twice as cruel, had stolen his brother in arms away from him.

“I know that you haven’t slept in the palace in over a hundred years. I know that you were once the strongest of us, but what you’ve become has only made me realize how much you held in. I’ve seen the pain, the weight you carry, and worst of all the guilt. That is ours to share and yet you let it consume you, leaving us to watch you disappear while we try to hold on. You’re not an animal Kunzite, please know that you are not this demon that has possessed you. Come back to us.” 

“I can smell your lies. How you pretend to be unfazed by your own face…”

“The mirrors of the palace would suggest otherwise.”  Nephrite grumbled, shame tugging at his voice,  “But the difference is, I didn’t go through my madness alone.” 

Kunzite’s muscles seemed to relax on reflex and without his permission. It had been so long since the four of them had united, or been able to stand each other’s company for more than a few moments at a time. The savagery left his grey eyes and they appeared familiar, almost human, and it was then that Nephrite realized he could scarcely remember what Kunzite looked like beyond the curse’s mask. For that split second, he remembered.

“She is alive?” He bit coldly, but familiarly enough that Nephrite physically relaxed. 

“Barely, thanks to you, though she’s healing quite nicely. I’ve put her up in the old Baroness’s suite to recover with Zoisite’s help. She will survive, but you’ve given her quite the scare.” 

Kunzite growled and stalked forward a few paces until his snout huffed against Nephrite’s sable mane. “You will stay away from her.” 

“No.”  He refused again, only this time his eyes narrowed in an almost daring and threatening fashion.  “Not until you find your bearings and remember that you are not a savage. I don’t trust that you won’t just murder that poor girl before we find out what she knows, and if she can help us.” 

“Poor girl!? What, have you already fallen in love with the first woman you’ve seen in so long? Or have you forgotten that it was HER PEOPLE who abandoned us here!? Your lonely heart grants you such blind hopes, BROTHER. We are damned.” 

Baring his own fangs, Nephrite offered a supposed grin that looked more monstrous than that charming grin of his from centuries long passed. That he knew her, and had been charmed by the Venusian long before their fall was his secret to keep, perhaps leverage useful for later...  “She IS rather pretty. She smells of lilies and sunshine. I think I  _ could _ fall in love with her, and perhaps that would be an end to this monstrous prison of fur and teeth.” Realizing his sly eyes and that the moderately teasing tone was lost on the primal creature Kunzite had become, he rolled his gaze toward the stone ceiling.  “And no, I have forgotten nothing, but only we truly know our side of the tragedy that has befallen us. Besides, her people have now abandoned her too.” 

“Fitting.”  Kunzite spat. “ Don’t pretend that you have any idea about the magic at work here. I won’t remind you again, that she is mine. You will bring her to me.” Kunzite snarled, their brief truce lost to his building rage, causing that strange laughter to purr up from Nephrite’s throat.

“If you insist on acting like a crazed Beast, I will gladly lock you in one of these cells. We did this your way, and she nearly died. Now, I will take it from here and you WILL back down like a good pup.” 

Kunzite lunged then, pinning him by the throat with a loud clash against the iron bars to the empty cell behind him, an untamed gleam in his pale grey eyes that met with the utmost calm in Nephrite’s blue and brown one. Saved by the thick nature of his mane that prevented the Wolf’s claws to seek his flesh, knowing if he wanted to kill him that he would have used his teeth.  “I AM YOUR COMMANDER, YOU WILL NOT SPEAK TO ME IN SUCH A MANNER!” 

“MY Commander wouldn’t seek to cause any of **us** harm, but protect us. Stand beside us through the toughest of damnations. And here we are Kunzite… are you my Commander? Or are you nothing more than a rabid  **dog** ?”  Kunzite dug his claws into the thick fur at Nephrite's throat, very slowly easing his grip as the gravity of his words smoothed out his hackled fur.  “This guilt that has driven you to this… it is ours to share. They are losing hope too, and we need you to be the strength that you’ve always been for us. I was never strong enough to bear such weight…and you always were. Please Kunzite, come back to us.” 

He released him, falling back a few steps he dug his clawed fingers into the fur between ears that should have been his hair, raking down a snout that should have been a man’s face.  “I am unworthy to be anyone’s brother or friend. I am not fit to be a Commander any more than I am fit to be a man.” 

“Nonsense… If that were true then you would have torn out my throat and fed me to that wild pack of wolves that follow you to hunt. There is still something in your heart that beats as a man. One that has something, someone to live for.” 

“What hope is there?”  Kunzite asked, more angry and resolute than any question should be.

“As far as hope goes, I believe, she may be resting in the room once belonging to our Queen’s assistant. And He sleeps, dreaming of a version of Elysium that has long died and his faithful guardians who have never stopped loving him regardless of their fates. They are our only hopes now.” 

At this, he cast a cold glare and stood up straight on his hind legs bringing him to an impressive height not much smaller than himself.  “You’re an even bigger idiot if you trust her. And how dare you speak of HIM to me.” 

“A week.”  Kunzite heaved a heavy sigh and fought his rising temper with a familiar narrowing of his eyes, but Nephrite couldn’t back down.  “A week from this night, you will go to her. You will apologize and make peace with your actions. Invite her for a proper meal, and dine with her like a gentleman. But you must find some modicum of yourself first.” 

“You’re insane.”  He growled, eyes narrowed and lips twitching with the urge to curl back from hungry canines.  “She is not a guest here.”

“Says the one who sleeps in a cave with wild animals and hunts Lunar dignitaries out of sport.”  Nephrite scoffed, shifting on his paws, arms folded against his chest. “A week, Kunzite… to bathe, sleep inside the palace, in your own room where you can dwell on the memories of being more than… this cursed creature. She is an enemy to Metalia, to Beryl, the same as us. Venus is the closest thing to a guest or ally to grace these walls in five hundred years. She’s not going to trust us if you try to kill her, and if you do kill her, she cannot speak. We measure the clock Kunzite, our time is drawing near.” 

“Fine. I will go to her in a week. But I will do so of my own volition… to hell with your peace. I need her to talk and I will not be bought by her beauty as you have been.”  An angry growl had Kunzite turning on his paw, storming upward toward the setting sun with an unsettling grace, leaving Nephrite in the darkness below.

He waited to visit Venus for two more nights. He dreaded gazing upon her beauty again, making the animal in him possessive and territorial. It made him yearn for clandestine walks among the roses with her arm laced courtly with his while they escorted their charges on forbidden late night dates so long ago. It made him want to weep. But Nephrite could not delay any longer, the Lycan Commander’s word had always been as good as gospel until he’d lost his reason. He was afraid that Kunzite would ignore his promise to wait a week, and that the hunt that evening would involve spilling her blood. 

He approached the doors to her room like the tattered effigy of one’s worst nightmare, the scent of her seeping through the cracks and intoxicating his senses. The floors groaned beneath his weight no matter what care he took to be silent as though the castle mocked him, a fiendish and intrusive sound. He heard her shuffling in the room, likely awakened by the wind screaming through the turrets outside, and his ghastly presence looming outside of her door. Nephrite tapped a claw against the wood and swallowed the unwelcome silence.

“Who’s there?”  He heard her voice from within, so light and touched by the husk of disturbed slumber with a hint of justified fear. 

“It’s only me, Venus.”  He answered, resting the crown of his head, his snout against the wood with sorrowful hope that she would receive his news well.  “Are you decent? May I speak to you?” 

“Of course, please come in.” 

Nephrite inhaled her scent through the crack in the door, knowing the hope, the enthusiasm of her voice was merely a symptom of boredom or loneliness. For the last time he saw her, and she saw him as the Beast that he had become, she withdrew, grimaced, and cringed when she dared to touch him. She hadn’t been able to spare him her terror of him. Regardless, he slipped through the door at her invitation as she lit the few candles at her bedside and pulled a thin woven shawl around her shoulders. 

She was hardly decent by any standards of his planet in that thin shift of a dress, her golden hair spilling messily around her as her dainty toes met the thick rug beneath the bed. She was as wild and erotic as he remembered, a Goddess through and through, and in the vast cultures of their Earthen world, the fantastical stories about this woman did her beauty little justice. 

“Are you well?”  He began, still shying toward the shadows to hide the vicious hunger in his eyes. For meat, for lust perhaps, but as a creature of base instinct and very scant human modesty, it was his shame that kept his ghastly form to the darkness.  “Are your wounds healed or should I send for more medicine?” 

“I’m fine, a little hungry, and it’s cold in here. I would like to have a fire if I could”  She confessed with that same very bold and confident nature that Nephrite had only been able to keep up with at his best, and he was far from his best.  “I am glad for your company, I’d hoped that you would visit sooner to keep my head from getting away from me. I begin to think every noise of this place is another one of your monsters coming to prey upon me. This castle is in anguish the way it cries out with its ghosts.”

“Well, I will bring you wood for the fireplace,”  He began, forgetting that unlike him she wasn’t covered in a thick layer of grisly fur and the palace was perhaps quite drafty.  “But speaking of fellow monsters, I came to warn you.” 

“Warn me?”  Her fine brow lifted beyond the strangely fashioned fringe around her eyes and Nephrite fought the urge to retreat further to the shadows with her brazen step forward, but he held his ground against the intensity of her gleaming blue eyes and enchanting sculpt of her candlelit face. 

“Yes, I’m afraid that your absence is no longer a secret. By the week’s end, he will come.” 

“H-he?”  Venus stammered, now wringing her dainty hands in front of her, the fear in her eyes all too knowing of who he referred to, yet she nodded her understanding, that thin shawl falling down off of her shoulders revealing goosebumps on her pale skin as she pulled her hands behind the veil of her golden hair at her back.  “I see. So I am NOT free of his bloodlust after all.” 

“Please, you must believe me when I say that he is not as he seems-”

“And neither are you. So you say.”  Venus retorted coldly, pulling the shawl more securely around her shoulders. 

“Trust must go both ways Ishara,”  Nephrite grumbled, wishing for once his voice sounded familiar to his own ears as he cast his feline gaze aside.  “He will not hurt you.” 

“And will you be there to see that he doesn’t?” 

“No.”  He replied honestly, regrettably. 

“Then what is keeping him from completing his bloody task? All of your promises to protect me mean nothing if-” 

“He’s not going to hurt you. Don’t ask me how I know this. Maybe it is this foolish hope of mine revived by your very presence. I don’t know what day or time he’ll arrive, and I certainly do not suggest that you provoke him but...I know he won’t hurt you.” 

She threw up her arms, defeat limping her shoulders and Venus rolled her eyes, spinning on her heel back toward the raised bed with fascinating grace.  “That brings me very little comfort, even if I’m grateful you thought to warn me at least…”

“I didn’t want you to be frightened…”

“Not frightened?”  She scoffed, shifting on her feet to pointedly glare at his shadowed form. 

“I am no more tame than he is Princess, I assure you that I only just manage to maintain myself in a way.”  Nephrite admitted softly, finding irony that the melodic songs of the stars now kept him grounded when in court it was often what made others think that he was insane. It was perhaps the bud of his friendship with Venus, her acceptance that the stars had a song and his different colored eyes didn’t raise any question of his birth where others had asked if his mother was a witch. 

“How? How, after so long, are you not the same as that rabid creature?” 

“I suppose I have always been different from the others.”  He exhaled, stepping forward to gauge her reaction as a clawed finger hooked and combed through a strand of her fragrant hair. She held her ground, the only wariness reflecting in her eyes which peered unwavering into his.  “Rest. I’ll bring firewood in for you, so don’t be alarmed when I return tonight.” 

“Thank you… and thank you for warning me.” 

“He really won’t hurt you.”  Nephrite added on his way out into the hall, trying to convince himself that he wasn’t lying.

* * *

At the front gate to the once grand Elysian palace, a woman with fiery red hair, draped in a fine gown of deep violet damask smirked daringly into the grey eyes of a ferocious creature laden with white fur and muscle. He growled down at her menacingly, but her dark painted lips only twisted further into a fanged grin, gleaming in the light of a rising Sun. 

“My Kunzite, you are looking well these days.”  Beryl mocked.

“What do you want WITCH?”  He snarled, clearly unamused by her very pleased sarcasm. She began to pace with slow, languid strides and Kunzite stalked back and forth just the same, not letting her out of his sight. 

“I hear you obtained a rather important prisoner. I thought we could help each other is all. You hand over your guest, and I will lift the curse. Easy as that. We WERE on the same team, after all.”  Her voice was almost a purr, her movements feline, and it brought forth a savage hunger in Kunzite who, if he could, would have lunged through the open gate to tear out her very long throat. 

“You already fooled me once.”  He snapped, growing a little snide himself.  “I don’t think you even have any power here.” 

The woman paused, drawing as close to him as she could, her voice lowering to a threatening tone. To him, she sounded like a little girl trying to threaten… well a wolf.  “You have been wrong, SO wrong before, LORD Kunzite, and look what it cost you.” 

“Step over the threshold of the gates then. Lift this spell, and our supposed “guest” is yours.”  Kunzite commanded, baring his teeth when she didn’t budge.  “That’s what I thought. I would hunt you down into the dimension of Hell you came from just to gnaw the flesh from your bones..” 

Beryl laughed, further leaning in with an amused fire in her orange demoness eyes to dare him.  “Go on then. Step over the threshold of the gate.”  Laughing maniacally, she took a step back in preparation to retreat. He could have easily stepped beyond the gate, but Kunzite didn’t dare put himself in a position for the Red Witch to act, for her magic was far more powerful than his jaws. Beryl knew he’d be too keen on her tricks, her fanged grin spreading even wider upon her demonic features with a loud bark for a laugh.  “You can't! You are powerless to help yourself, let alone your men, and my handsome Prince.” 

“HE WAS NEVER YOURS!” Kunzite roared furiously, slamming against the gate with his gnarled hands if only to drown out her cackling as she walked away. Rage ignited his pale eyes, saliva dripping in strings between his bared teeth, jaws clenched with the desire to tear the Crimson Witch limb from limb. He thought he might compensate for his anger and inflict his violent temper upon their prisoner, only sating it with the information he so desperately wanted and needed. But he thought of Nephrite, and the anger he felt toward Beryl now helped him to make sense of the Lion’s words. 

Kunzite lived his life on base instincts that involved eating raw game, sleeping, and prowling the Elysian grounds in search of food or some threat that had drifted too close to the palace for his liking. As he prowled across an overgrown moor it was as though Nephrite ordered the very stars to scream at him because his words echoed through his head like a million memories he’d tried so hard to forget. Proving him right by cursing those stars once more with a growling breath because he knew what he had to do. Even if a part of him, the Beast in him, only hungered to satisfy his revenge.

Another four nights he slumbered on the cold hard ground, half contemplating and half ready to tear the castle down one stone at a time until the warmth of her blood sifted between his fingers. Nevermind that she smelled like a valley of orange groves, honeysuckle, pure sunlight, and love. But he’d smelled death when he left her in that cell, and perhaps that was what tugged at his reason. That final last time he sank his claws into her flesh and heard her rattling breath, a rapid rise and fall of her lithe little body against his palm in an attempt to breathe that Kunzite thought he’d already taken her life. But she was strong, perhaps stronger than he was, immortal, but powerless. 

It was that fifth night, ignoring Nephrite’s pleas for him to bathe and reacquaint himself with the palace, that he stumbled upon the stargazer himself to collect the key to whatever room he’d been keeping her stashed away in.

“You will be kind.”  He warned, glaring at Kunzite with only his blue eye visible among the thick entanglement of his mane. A snarl was his only reply, and as he stalked toward the arched entryway to the castle he fought the urge to walk on all fours like an animal. It dawned on him for the shortest flicker of time how sick, how monstrous the events of those centuries ago were before once more reality ripped into him again with a set of razor sharp claws. 

What he couldn’t forget were the smells that clung to the carved wood of the palace, each sound as he made his way through the empty halls lined with jewel toned wallpaper of cobalt blue and rich luxurious reds and candles scented like jasmine or roses left half burned in candelabras of intricately carved gold. The only thing amiss was the glass from broken mirrors and old portraits torn to shreds, memories destroyed but not forgotten as Kunzite lurked toward a tall tower where the Queen once kept her ladies of the court. A reflex of muscle memory that hundreds of years could not erase. 

To someone with such a keen sense of smell as he was, her scent invaded the entire floor. It was easier to find than the pungent smell of death and decay he’d been expecting but likened to wandering into a vivid dream of a Summer’s meadow in the middle of the grim prison the sprawling palace had become. A fragrant breath filled his lungs as he nearly pressed his nose against the cracks of the double doors, and contemplated whether or not he should knock. 

“I hear you breathing Beast.” 

A beautiful song, a whisper really, but to his ears she might have raised her voice called out to him. Not an invitation, there was none in her loathsome voice that invited him forward, but Kunzite slipped the key into the lock anyway.

Into the room he prowled on four legs, spilling like fast creeping fog into her fragrant hardwood haven, claws tapping against the varnish with each step. A black cloud to her Sun, his gleaming eyes peering at her sitting up in bed, stealing the warmth from the small fire still burning in the hearth. He could taste her fear with his next breath, her blue eyes wide and locked onto him, following his movements as he slinked back into the shadows. ‘Make peace.’ he thought sarcastically, salivating from the sight of her beauty, the anger he felt from it only further fueling his hunger. And Kunzite was already late to the hunt. 

“I can smell your fear girl, don’t think of trying to fight me.” 

“I can smell far more of you than I care to.”  She sneered, lifting a delicate hand toward her nose in offense.  “You’ve come to apologize?” 

“That would imply that I have any remorse.”  Kunzite growled through his jagged teeth, ready to pounce on that bed and sodden the sheets with her blood, to see if it tasted as delicious as she smelled. 

“Then I have no use for you. You are nothing but a cowardice monster that could not finish what he started, leaving messes for other creatures-”

“I spared your life, and you beg for an apology from me?”  He growled through his teeth, nails digging into the thick Persian rug at his feet as his every muscle tensed. Another breath, another intoxicating inhale.  “I came to see if you would accompany me…to talk.”

“You came thinking that if I agree to your forced hospitality that I would tell you what you want to know. Well, you are wrong, I’ll beg you for nothing.”  At this, the girl slipped from the bed with her fists clenched at her sides, a nearly transparent gown of lace sleeves with a matching high neck falling loosely about her body. She stepped toward him seeming to think he would shrink away but he merely watched with unblinking fascination as she drew nearer, the fire flickering in her eyes casting gold within the blue hues like lapis lazuli. Her gaze danced between his pointed stare daringly and it brought him a bit of thrill he hadn’t expected, and Kunzite wondered, if it came down to it, if her fragile little bones would get stuck in his teeth. 

“I thought I might invite you to dinner.”  He growled with a wide grin baring his yellowed, razor sharp teeth. Her eyes grew wide and something in his expression made her take a step slowly backward. 

“I think I’d rather starve.” 

“I think you will. Living on berries from our forest and apples from our orchards… you won’t last long without meat.”  He promised with ill intent gleaming in his hungry eyes. After all, he was only doing as Nephrite wanted, he gave no spoken promise about her safety.  “I’m sure you’re ravenous. I know I am.” 

“You tried to kill me once already. I’d be a fool to trust you Beast, even if Nephrite said you wouldn’t hurt-”

Kunzite snapped his teeth with a vicious growl to silence her, looming over with a deadly glare.  “I could tear you limb from limb, right now, and there is nothing he could do. HE does not speak for me.”

Instead of recoiling from him, her pretty blue eyes narrowed and Venus took a hostile step toward him.  “No. I suppose he wouldn’t, but he TRUSTS you enough to assure me that much. So if you wish to disappoint someone who clearly cares about you, be my guest. Obviously, it wouldn’t be the first time.” 

Her conviction, the passion in her voice froze him to the spot and for once he dared to see the beauty in her that the firelight could scarcely capture. It was a frightful thing that something could be as beautiful as she was, as strong and hideously stubborn at the same time.  “Fine. Then you will starve in here alone.”  Kunzite lowered his muzzle, peering deep within her summery blue eyes and drowning in her sweet, sweet perfume. Perhaps this was a more suitable dungeon for such a creature after all.  “Enjoy your prison in comfort then, Venus.”

“Nephrite and Zoisite have made it quite accommodating, thank you. You may dine alone because I would rather eat the candles or the drapes than join you for dinner.” 

Enraged by her audacity, he growled menacingly and shifted past her, the paintings on the walls shaking, windows rattling with his every step as he stormed toward the doors.  “I will see to it that no one brings you another luxury, food or otherwise!” 

“They have made it quite clear to me that you are nobody's master. They have no allegiance to you, you FIEND! There may be beasts in this palace but the only monster here is you!” She shouted back and it took all of him not to tear that beautiful face from her skull, something about these words from this stranger wounding him for reasons he couldn’t bring himself to accept. It touched a part of him that was perhaps, still human. 

Kunzite wrenched the key into the lock and stormed down the hall, ripping at paintings still intact, and swiping the golden candelabras from their carved and elegant marble topped tables, sometimes toppling those over as well. He roared and howled and made such a ruckus until he drowned out the stifling silence completely. He tore through the palace, his legs pulling him forward as if he were entranced, as if that piece of him that the girl had touched lured him toward the wing of the palace reserved for him and his men by muscle memory alone. 

Claw marks marred the carved wood of great double doors marked by a compass embedded in roses and the image of a rising sun. The wing remained empty, the first of his prey that this monster that he became destroyed everything he could, leaving the once beautiful hall in ruins. He couldn’t even call it a beautiful corpse, maybe only a tragic one based on the elegant finery discarded in the same manner as the animal bones strewn about the rooms. Especially as he stalked into the desecrated library where books and pages spread in piles across the wooden floors, like memories he’d torn out of his own head one by one. 

The scent of smoke, roses, and bourbon permeated from the intricately carved wooden bookshelves and that was worse, the scent of duty and love that nearly sent Kunzite over the edge. He fought that age old urge to howl his mourning at the moon, to tear down that library more than he’d already destroyed it. The glimpse of a portrait, grey eyes peering back from torn canvas made him reel, and he staggered away as if wounded, back into the hallway, and back into a bedroom he could scarcely remember ever sleeping in. 

It had been pristine once upon a time. The room of a man so consumed by order and routine that there wasn’t a tassel on the velvet drapes out of place. Polished boots and swords and the scents of musk, spice, and a hint of jasmine lingered ever strong in the remaining fabric and wood here. Perhaps the only familiarity of the time and place he came from, the distant memory of the Middle East. Human, Nephrite told him to remember that… he was human, though when he lifted his head and saw the gruesome muzzle reflected back at him through the window, stained by the blood of prey and the awful sight of his deadly canines, white fur and sharp eyes he only saw a demon. Oh, the eyes were the worst because of that damned portrait because they were his eyes, only staring back at him now was a crazed thing. A creation that the Dark Kingdom would have been proud of. 

His heart raced, and his eye fell upon a proud sword now embedded into the wall. Trying to breathe through the despair of suppressed memory, Kunzite entered the mostly intact washroom attached to his suite and growled low. This was made more painful when he caught a glimpse of his hands, white fur turned russet with dried blood from the hunt, and long black claws adorning large appendages that were nothing less than monstrous. His gruesome hands folded over the sides of the sink and he met his own eyes once more in the remnants of the shattered mirror still clinging for life inside the frame, and Kunzite stared as if entranced by his own hideous facade. 

He thought of Nephrite then, who catered to this girl and pleaded with him. Zoisite who never cared much for anyone but his own interests thought it wise to be the accomplice to her hospitality of his own will. He couldn’t help but feel betrayed and yet, he couldn’t remember the last time he enjoyed their company but he couldn’t get Nephrite’s words out of his head. 

Kunzite tried and failed to see something human in his eyes the way he’d seen something in his lion hearted friend. Sadness overwhelmed the anger, he wasn’t sure where it came from but it was the first thing he truly felt in so long that he whimpered, a wounded animal, slinking down on all fours toward the tub.

All he had to wash with were exotic oils that had traveled with him from his homeland in the Middle East more than five hundred years ago, still new and pristine and perhaps the only items left in order in the entire suite. He loathed water, almost disappointed that the water ran clean the moment he turned on the tap, and with stubborn obedience he growled and began the dreaded task of bathing. It was a quick ordeal, a foreign concept, and with a shiver and a ravenous growl in his stomach, he crawled onto the dusty bed that appeared more like a nest than anything resembling an invention of the human world, but it felt hazy, almost like sleeping on a rain cloud ready to drown him with his own worst nightmares. Ones he’d long avoided facing.


	6. The White Stag

Grey light peeked out between the dark velvet drapes when Venus woke from a restless slumber where the sound of wolves howling in the distance haunted her nightmares, keeping her awake and alarmed throughout the night. Being tucked away in such a small prison for so long had begun to fray at the corners of her mind, no matter how comfortable the cage, the world had begun to feel so small and off kilter and it took a few moments for her to realize why.

The door to the room was left hanging wide open, giving her a lengthy view of the dark hallway beyond. Wood was stacked neatly by the fireplace which was already lit, and her breakfast was left for her on the bedside table as it had been almost every day. A glimmering brooch rested beside the plate of grapes from the vineyard and apples from the orchard with the customary little note that now read ‘Nephrite’ instead of just ‘N. These were all mere passing observations as Venus found herself staring blankly down the shadowed corridor with a nervous and hearty swallow.

All was silent, unnerving, until all at one the wardrobe across the room burst open hard enough that the doors slammed against the wood. She screamed loud enough to wake the dead. 

“It’s about time you woke up.”  Zoisite berated, stepping into the light of day without shame or care for the manner in which Venus gripped her heart to keep it from flying out of her chest. 

“You wicked sneak! You scared the life out of me!” 

“Yes, perhaps one of these days I’ll succeed.”  He said, bored as he very quickly shuffled across the room to close the open door without locking it, and perched himself expectantly on a bench next to a decently stocked vanity. More gifts, Venus noted with a smile.  “Well then, get out of bed! I’m not going to very well allow you to run rampant through my palace in that poor excuse you’ve chosen for a dress.” 

“It’s perfectly elegant.”  She defended, slipping from the warm blankets to inspect the contents of the toiletries splayed upon the polished wood. Zoisite no longer repulsed her, he’d been visiting more and more during the evenings and Venus even dared to think he was a little cute with his strange beady green eyes and sandy colored fur. 

“You’re in your underwear. You know this, right?”  He replied with a frustrated twitch of his whisker. 

“Women on Earth wore far too many layers of clothing .” Venus pouted, watching as Zoisite dropped to the floor from the stool, allowing her to sit down while he began to rummage through the various garments of thick fabric resting in the armoire.  “Besides, Venusians are known for their structured fashion, it’s not my fault Terrans are too modest to appreciate the art of the body.” 

“Perhaps Venusians are okay with running around mostly nude with their nipples out, but if I recall, leaving SOMETHING to the imagination was a sign of dignity and CLASS on Earth.” 

“It is?”  She asked distractedly, examining the messy state of her hair in her prized hand mirror.  “Venusians pride more on the quality of their hearts. I suppose you could say we keep our dignity there. Implying that we have no class is just rude.” 

“Yes well you’re not known for things like shame and dignity here, rather the inappropriate bits,”  Zoi muttered, pulling a fine white blouse and full skirt with many layers and bustles from the closet.  “If you are going to enjoy your newfound freedom then I suggest you leave something to the imagination.” 

Venus turned slowly on her bench, setting down her golden mirror to eye his chosen attire with a frown.  “I did notice the door left open. Is this some sort of game now? As soon as I leave, am I to be prey for some hunt? Don’t think I don’t see that wicked gleam in your eyes, I have been warned that all are beasts here, but I haven’t been able to quite decipher what that means yet.”

Zoisite paused in thought, whiskers twitching and paws fiddling with the laces on a corset.  “I’ll not be hunting you and I know of no intentions for games, but I certainly have no taste for flesh. I know everything here you see, so I gather that you’re quite safe as long as you don’t antagonize the Wolf, which if you have a death wish then please do. Whatever was said last night sent him raving mad, it was quite the show. Now, come dress so I can figure out that hair of yours.” 

Venus frowned at the blatant shift in subject. She thought little about the Wolf. She tried not to think of him at all given the feelings of terror and disgust he evoked in her, the sadness and pity for him that she didn’t want to feel. Not after the cruelty he’d shown her, and yet she could not ignore the hollowness in him, something vacant but yearning. Something almost human clawing to get out just behind his pale grey eyes. 

“You?”  Venus stood and began to undress, eyeing the vast amount of clothing being laid out on the bed with distaste. 

“Rat or not, I’ll have you know that I am very cultured. You could stand to learn a thing or two.” 

She glared down at him and stuck out her tongue in a rude gesture that he wouldn’t see because the Rat kept his head turned while she tried her best to figure out the undergarments.  “Whatever magic is at play here, I almost think they missed an opportunity to turn you into an ass.”

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”  Zoisite whipped around, russet fur positively bristled by the sound of fabric ripping when Venus thought to thin out the long black skirt and began tearing viciously at the fabric. 

“It will be better without so many layers. There are five dresses worth of fabric in the skirt alone!”  She insisted, trying to yank out some of the petticoats. 

“Stop that at once! Are you mad?”

Venus paused, her brow raised to glower at him for having the audacity to act as though he hadn’t just played his part to keep her prisoner for an unknown number of days.  “I’m the one that has to wear it.” 

“It was a gift though.”  He spoke, a sort of dirty slyness consuming his already raspy little rodent tone.  “Is it proper to destroy what has been given to you?” 

“Ugh, FINE.”  She let down her skirt and folded her arms over her chest, fingers picking at the collar of the blouse, a mock high neckline done up with white lace and black buttons fastened up around her neck. And suddenly, he began to tighten the waist cincher.  “You ARE trying to kill me!”

“Stop being so dramatic! Feel fortunate that you have little to cinch in. There were ladies once who fainted for trying to create the figure that you have naturally.”  Each phrase was punctuated by little grunts as he pulled and tied the laces for her, even dangling from the laces in an attempt to tighten them to his satisfaction. Venus found herself naturally holding onto one of the bedposts, for as small as he was Zoisite was still quite strong. And heavy.

It felt like forever that they sat and spoke, her back facing away from the vanity while he stood on top of it to fix and fashion her hair, pinning it up in a manner that she hoped wasn’t an attempt to make her look foolish. This part was enjoyable, even though Venus felt like she couldn’t breathe being constricted by so much fabric. She was quite hungry after all, excited and nervous all at once to test the boundaries of her apparent newfound freedom. Stretch her legs and learn more about Elysium and the people that once lived here, wondering if Zoisite or maybe Nephrite would be kind enough to be her guide. 

“What sort of freedom is beyond that door Zoi?” 

“Hm? Well… your presence is no secret here now and Nephrite decided now that Ku- er, the Wolf, knows that there is no sense in keeping you locked up. However, do not think that your freedom is absolute… we live in captivity ourselves, after all. You will be restricted.” 

“Yes but not confined!”  She mused with a finger pointed toward the carved ceiling, turning to face the strange creature on top of the vanity.  “Who is this Wolf? Is he like you?” 

“No one is like me.”  Zoisite boasted, holding the mirror up for her to view his rather impressive handiwork.  “Likely you’ll have to watch out for the snake in the garden more than him. The Wolf at least keeps to himself and that snake is a mad chap.” 

Venus laughed to herself, turning to gaze back at the unlocked doors that lead to her freedom.  “I am excited about it all, probably strange given the circumstances, but now that I can leave this room I’m not sure what to do with myself.” 

“Well. I think perhaps since you so boldly declined our Lycanthrope friend that Nephrite thought you might like to dine with him. He can outline the more, restrictive nature of your freedom for you.” 

As if on cue, the grating sound of razor sharp claws tapped against the arched doors to her rather comfortable cage. Venus swallowed down the tense feeling in her gut, the blind hope that behind that door was a handsome man with long chestnut waves rather than the horrific reality behind the softly grating sound against the wood. She had yet to decipher their true intentions and she knew she’d be a fool to trust them. Surely there were hidden agendas behind the sweet and luxurious gifts of gowns, jewels, and invitations to simply enjoy her company. 

Her loneliness forbade her from declining Nephrite’s offer. Despite their monstrous visages and crazed, hunger laced eyes, their sharp claws and gleaming canines, Venus was abandoned. Who else did she have to bide her time with than the company of Beasts? Besides, while they prodded her for information, subtly or not, she thought perhaps she could maybe gain resources of her own. Their lavish gifts were perhaps merely a welcome bonus of the arrangement, but her loyalty would not be bought with pretty things. She thought this as she pinned the impressive gold brooch set with pearl that Nephrite left for her that morning onto her blouse where Zoisite instructed her to. 

The tapping sound came again and she stood, narrowing her blue eyes down at the russet-blonde Rat, his paws fumbling as small fingers finished lacing up her booted shoes with thick heels that were perhaps a size too big. 

“Well, you could have said so earlier!”  She hushed, taking long strides past him toward the door to greet her old friend with mild hesitation. 

Venus swung the door open, her breath catching from the horror of his appearance, which she was grateful for or she might have screamed. Nephrite had always been tall but now he towered. There was a human-like quality to the Lion’s face, lips feline and displaying the tips of long sharp fangs. His skin was reduced to tawny fur, a mane only fitting to his once luscious wavy hair was now matted and unkempt. The only thing left of the man she knew was his eyes. 

They widened after a moment of pointed inspection, savoring her changed attire with a look that was half starved and awed like a kitten first discovering the joys of lively and juicy mice.  “Why, you look…”

“I look like one of the curtains.”  Venus interrupted, folding her arms uneasily, but the motion was most likened to a stubborn child. The clothes were binding, stifling, heavy... 

Nephrite purred a throaty chuckle, and she could see it, a hint of that warmth, that recognizable light in his brown eye, but there was something distant and betraying in the blue one. The one that saw the stars for what they were. The truthful eye that seemed cold and hungry. Desperate.  “I was going to say you look like a proper lady. You look lovely.” 

He spoke as though he tried to remember if those were the correct words to say, a bit hesitating and conflicted but genuine. It was endearing in a way, if monsters could be endearing, she supposed Nephrite and Zoisite might be the closest she’d find. Venus offered him a hesitant smile, still unsure of how trustworthy they were in light of all of this magic, and carefully stepped out toward the hallway.  “Thank you. I still feel smothered but I suppose this will do seeing as my dress was ruined. “

“It’s better than looking like a harlot.”  Zoisite sneered as he breezed past them down the hall, vanishing behind a large woven tapestry before she could kick him. Venus merely glared after him a moment before the decrepit grandeur of the long, dark hallway seemed to open up, distracting her from the Rat’s cruel commentary. She paused as though the entire world consisted of that corridor and she was only seeing it for the first time. 

The world was drafty, candlesticks toppled from their golden perches that lay bent and dusty on floors leaving marble topped tables barren beside the many suits of armor that she thought might come alive as they slowly passed them by, at least the ones that remained intact and without claw marks etched into their polished surfaces. The helmets creaked and scraped, metal on metal as they walked by, seeming to inspect her through the empty eye slits. Judge her. 

So… may I ask what the terms of my freedom are?”  Nerves tugged her eyes in all directions, anxiously eyeing each painting, ripped open with talons reminiscent of wounds that she’d suffered herself. Only the beauty of these painted memories, portraits of a time and place, of its people, were ruined.

“Terms? We can discuss that during dinner, I thought you might want some air. You’ve been a caged bird for far too long.” 

If Heaven were a concept, she was certain it was the idea of fresh air. Earthen air was often heavy to her, oppressive, though in that very moment the thought alone was the very epitome of bliss.  “Air sounds like a dream.” 

Nephrite did not offer his arm like a gentleman, though she took it anyway with a mind to hide the way her skin crawled at the feeling of his muscled arm covered with a thick bristle of tawny fur, avoiding his clawed hand. The vast grandeur of the dark castle was easier to focus on as Nephrite led her through carved archways that linked one hallway to the next.  “I hope you like it here.” 

The sentiment broke her rather acute observations of the slashed paintings and broken mirrors, however, everything else was pristine and intact save some broken candlesticks and matchboxes, trinkets all royal palaces seemed to come equipped with.  “It is very beautiful… and dark. I suppose I should be grateful, but I can’t help but be homesick. Even though I know that no one is coming for me…”

Venus jumped, as though hearing her astute observations several candlesticks ignited on their own, illuminating the hall in a faint, almost romantic glow. She glanced behind them, finding statues and suits of armor all turned to face their retreating forms. The metal screeched when they all faced forward at once like they all realized they’d been caught staring. Nephrite didn’t seem to notice, or perhaps he didn’t care. He was looking down at her when she checked, finding he didn’t pay much mind to their surroundings because he was too occupied looking at her. She was unsettled by it. 

They came to the top of a long stairway leading down into a foyer of stained glass and gilded ceilings, golden chandeliers left dark. The colors of the glass remained dull from the grey lights outside but offered the faintest flicker of life into the husk-like corpse of the palace in stunning flecks of red, blue, and green. 

“For now, you may consider this your home.”  Nephrite said, his voice deep and calm. Comforting in its familiarity if she paid no mind to the mouth that it came from. 

She smiled, half heartedly at best, but Venus felt like she owed him that much seeing as he had saved her life and brought her comfort from her nightmares until the Wolf himself thought it had been necessary to seek her out. She was afraid of him, and ashamed of that fear, being the warrior that she was. She was ill fit to defend herself against the Wolf’s thirst for her blood, or perhaps it was a thirst for her beauty. Venus nearly laughed at her own vanity. No, he clearly only either wanted the knowledge in her head or her destruction, there was no in between. Regardless of the Beast in her presence, that knowledge was the only thing keeping her out of a very early grave if Nephrite or Zoisite had any say.

At least she hoped. 

Venus had no words to offer him, only nodding up toward the haggard Lion with the kind eyes at her side, met with a muzzle of long sharp teeth grinning down at her in a cheshire manner. Her breath caught from the terror of it and she swallowed hard, tearing her gaze away to allow him to lead her down the winding staircase. Yes, fresh air would make her feel more at ease. Perhaps she could allow herself to believe she was merely just a guest in this strange and mystical palace. 

They stepped into the wasteland of the gardens and it felt like she was walking underwater. The thick heady air in her lungs fragranced by the pungent sweet decay of flowers and dry leaves was heavy and the tight fit of the corset cinching around her waist didn’t help the sensation of slowly drowning. Walking was an ordeal as well, the way the heavy skirts fought the motion of her legs and the boots she wore felt like iron. But the lack of confinement was enough. 

Venus had long released herself from Nephrite’s arm, falling behind his meandering stride to study morose statues that were once elegant and whimsical, surrounded by the life of flora and bubbling fountains that had long since dried and shriveled into tangles of bare bones and brown decay. She tried and failed to see the former beauty of it all, majesty lost to time or magic, she couldn’t be sure which, but it reminded her of home.

Serenitatis had once been a glittering city of silver and crystal, now dull and grey like a graveyard, forgotten with no one left to mourn. She frowned, fingering a dead flower only to watch the petals flake and flutter to the ground. How much longer until chaos swallowed the Moon Kingdom? How would she ever get home to stop it? The questions hadn’t ceased since her fever allowed her mind to stop crawling with horrors from a dream-like realm of shadows, ghosts, and monsters she’d hoped were only nightmares. Unfortunate for her that such vivid dreams come true on occasion, fevers or no.

Scurrying sounds among the dry leaves and grasses brought her a bit of joy from the sadness that began to tug at her heart, simply knowing that as always Zoisite seemed to be nearby brought her comfort. Still, something settled in her stomach, and with a careful lift of her skirts, she jogged to catch up to Nephrite.

Unlike that of the Wolf, he walked upright mostly, a great shrouded figure nearly three feet taller than herself walking upright as a man did naturally on the back paws of a Lion. His hands, also more like a man but thick and primed with long, deadly black claws swung slowly at his sides, face fixed forward, surrounded by the brambles of his thick and tangled chestnut colored mane that did nothing to hide his terrible teeth. His eyes had already been strange, but even then they were still far too human to belong to a Beast. 

“It’s funny that we should find ourselves here again.” 

“Hm? Yes… I suppose it has been a long time since we walked together. I am only sorry that there are no flowers or stars for me to amuse you with.”  Without the shift of his head, Nephrite’s keen eyes shifted down toward her as her much daintier hands wrapped themselves around his forearm. Venus told herself it would get easier.

“It’s very quiet… no birds or fountains…”  By quiet, there was no discounting the light scratching of the leaves against the stone, the eerie shuffle of their footsteps, and the shifting of her heavy skirts. Such quiet sounds became so loud like the sound of something scratching for freedom at death’s door. 

“I suppose I don’t notice the silence anymore.”  He offered in a solemn note.

“Well, we can still do the hedge maze. You did promise me a race.”  Venus nudged him playfully as she could manage. If she was going to be stuck there with them, at least Nephrite was a friend, so perhaps she could manage to have some fun to rid her of her vanity. He was changed yes, but perhaps his heart was only clouded with despair. Perhaps, they could help each other not become consumed by his appearances. 

“That would be unfair, I know my way by now. I am surprised you remember...”  The familiarity of cockiness in his tone brought the devil to her grin. She was notoriously competitive and the prospect of any form of entertainment was too good to resist. 

“You should know better than to underestimate me.”  She jabbed.

“I wouldn’t dream of it Venus, but I should warn you that it isn’t-” 

“READY GO!”  Venus called out before he could finish his thought, gathering her skirts and jaunting toward the opening in the hedges with a laugh that echoed against the stone all around them. 

“Venus wait!”  Nephrite called after her, but she didn’t listen and spun herself through the entrance to the maze. 

The thudding of his paws against the cobbled path dissipated after only a few moments of winding around corners recklessly, all other sound consumed by her laughter. She spun and weaved in directions she thought might be right, blocked by dead ends, becoming disoriented and dizzy. Movement in the brush halted her, and for just a moment a smile tugged the corner of her lips because getting lost and finding your way was half of the fun. 

“Neph? I’m over here!”  She called out but there was no answer, just a rustle in the dry foliage.  “N- Nephrite?”  The shuffling intensified, and the thrill of adventure turned terrible the very moment she realized she’d become completely lost. The imposing walkways of the freshly dead hedge maze appeared to grow more and more narrow as she walked, eyes peeled for any sign of Nephrite’s presence to no avail. When the sound came again, something swift and surely silent if it hadn’t been for the crunching of dry leaves and dead flowers beneath its weight. Venus felt ill when it dawned on her that whatever seemed to be stalking her was too large to be Zoisite, and not quite large enough to be Nephrite.  “This isn’t funny Zoisite, is that you? Nephrite where have you gone?...Nephrite?”

She appeared to be alone, the fine hairs at the back of her neck standing on end, her heart beating faster. The thought came again that her new freedom could merely be a game for them to hunt her. A whim of the Wolf perhaps, who wanted her to be released in this maze of hollow statues and dead things to finally sate his thirst for her blood. Chills rippled across her skin without her permission as she thought of his piercing eyes fixed on her through the hedges which had suddenly become impossibly tall. Her sudden shortness of breath reminded her that Zoisite had tied her into this corset tight enough that Venus became unsure if she could fight him off, it made the passages feel more narrow than they were. 

Her pace quickened but she didn’t dare call out, even though her boots gnawed too loudly on dry leaves, heels clacking noisily, echoing on the stone walkway, and she didn’t dare to look behind her. A bead of sweat made its way down her spine while she strained against the waist cincher and heavy skirts, breath coming in desperate fiery gasps. The shuffling sound only seemed to gain momentum.

A break in the hedges, an exit, a ray of sunshine to Venus who ran toward the opening with renewed hope. She spied Nephrite walking slowly beyond it with ears keen and alert, Zoisite scurrying along the top of the garden wall at his side. Overjoyed, her lips parted to call for them as she ran, her jog turning into a more desperate run. 

Little more than a strangled cry made its way from her lips before something, someone, moved too quickly for her to comprehend and wrapped itself around her, and  _ squeezed. _

“My, myyyy, it’s true. You ARE good enough to eat.”  It hissed, the fluttering of a forked tongue against her ear.

Venus whimpered, short, hard breaths strained through her nose, her widened eyes shifting slowly to meet the blue glass-like gaze of a vibrant, jade green Snake. At first glance, she might have taken him for an ordinary creature until it dawned on her that he had spoken. The creature was broad as a man, constricting her tightly with his body which entangled and entwined with her own. A body that seemed to stretch on forever. 

“Please…”  She croaked, unable to look away from his needle like teeth, wincing as his forked tongue lapped out and brushed against her neck, causing her to struggle against him in a panic.

“Such a pretty flower.”  His mouth twisted in a wide grin, eyes gleaming with apparent excitement.  “Do not struggle, pretty one, I could constrict your bones into powder, which would be a shame. It has been too long since I’ve known the warmth of a woman… say you’ll sssssstay.” 

“JADEITE.” 

Venus and the Snake both looked up, Nephrite’s imposing form blocking the exit to the hedge maze, arms folded across his pronounced chest, bi-colored eyes narrowed in disapproval. 

“Idiot.”  Zoisite spat, scurrying between the Lion man’s legs but not daring to come any closer. The snake grinned again, eyes flickering from her to the Rat. Venus gathered with a hard swallow that this must be the mad snake that he’d warned her about.  “Let her go.” 

“Please Rat boy, I’ll devour you next. Your bones will make excellent toothpicks.” 

“HA!”  Zoisite squeaked,  “Perhaps if you had fingers, or arms for that matter I’d like to see you try and manipulate a toothpick without them.” 

“Let her go right now. You’re frightening her.”  Nephrite ordered, his great paw resting over his eyes in exasperation, peeking only as Jadeite wound himself more tightly around her, eyes transfixed and fascinated on her.  “You may be able to devour Zoisite but you won’t get far with me. I will not ask you again.” 

“Oh fine.”  Jadeite whined with a roll of his vibrant blue eyes, and with such a quickness that she almost fell over, he let her go. 

Venus almost fainted, letting the thick air fill her lungs she fell forward, clinging to Nephrite’s shroud.  “Thank you.” 

“Ahhh, I sssssssee how it is.”  Jadeite observed,  “Have a thing for pretty kitties, have you? I can assure you that snakes have more fun.” 

“You’re a sociopath.”  Zoisite muttered from the ground at her feet, his clawed fingers gripping the hem of her skirt as the snake drew near. 

“Do not test me right now, I’m hungry.”  Jadeite grumbled and bowed his head, grinning almost charmingly to readdress her.  “Forgive me, but you look and smell divine, my dear. It has been too long since these eyes have seen such beauty, I forget myself.”

Hesitantly, Venus turned with a glance up to Nephrite before turning to face the strange Beast. His torso almost looked like that of a man though his arms were absent, the rest of his body exceptionally long and winding for more than ten feet behind him. Jadeite’s face was void of very much definition, reptilian and beautifully scaled with jade and emerald that gleamed as he shifted in the light, but humanoid enough to truly disturb with his monstrous appearance alone. 

“You may call me Venus.”  She offered with uncertainty in her voice. 

“Those idiots call me Jadeite, but you may simply call me Jade if you like.” 

“Jadeite.”  Nephrite warned again with a rumbling growl in his throat as the snake came closer, absently drawing her in with his hypnotizing cobalt gaze.

“Oh, but she is warm, and smells of SSSSSummer days I’d all but forgotten. I see why you had me gather so many apples for her. A pleasure, I assure you.” 

“Bullshit. You whined about it every day you were asked.”  Zoisite retorted, still clinging to Venus’s skirt. Jadeite’s face deadpanned and those eyes shifted flatly down, tongue lapping out at the air. 

“Thank you.”  Venus offered, interrupting before Zoisite became this creature’s next meal, prying his attention back to her with a queasy feeling still unsettling her stomach.  “Won’t you walk… er…” 

“You’d like for me to accompany you?”  Jadeite interjected over her fumbling for words of what one would do without the luxury of legs. Lightning quick, he practically vanished behind the thick wall of brush behind him, reappearing just as quickly to offer her a very alive, very vibrant red flower, tucked between his jaws. Her unease dissipated when he smiled a bit more genuinely, and she very carefully took the flower from his mouth, tucking the bloom into her hair.  “It would be an honor, my lady.” 

Zoisite, on the other hand, shrieked.  “WHERE DID YOU GET THAT YOU MORON!?” 

“Oh, just beyond the veranda, near the tom- OUCH!” 

Nephrite and Venus merely watched, bewildered as Zoisite bit the tail end of Jadeite’s lengthy body that coiled tightly around him, and the two began to fight. 

“Well, I’ve heard enough.”  Nephrite began, folding his enormous hand over hers.  “I think there’s been plenty of fun for one day, come, let’s get you some supper. They will join us once they’re done squabbling if they choose.” 

Venus nodded, unsure why Zoisite and Jadeite would be so up in arms over a flower. The vibrant amaryllis smelled nice, sweet, and alive, her gaze lingering on the two creatures locked in a heated argument as she was led back inside the palace.  “He won’t really eat Zoisite will he?”

“Perhaps.”  Nephrite chuckled though Venus failed to see the humor in the statement and frowned, but kept her silence.  “Embarrassingly enough, I have little more to offer you in the way of food than fruit gathered from our vineyards and orchards…” 

“I am grateful.”  She said, and she was. It wasn’t substantial by any means but the sweet fruits of grapes, apples, and oranges would keep her alive if nothing else. 

They strolled the long hallways slowly and Venus struggled to take it all in. Paintings of nobles and statues of Gods all seemed to turn and stare at their approach yet she told herself it was a trick of the shadows and began to wish for light to chase away the false eyes of the palace. A startled cry echoed against the stone and she clung to Nephrite’s arm as the sconces in front of them seemed to ignite upon the command of her silent wishes. The Lion chuckled. 

“I have not seen that in hundreds of years.”  He noted, gesturing with the paw that Venus now clung to for dear life.  “These walls are as alive as you or I. They say that buildings have a soul, created by the blood, sweat, and tears of those who built them. This palace has a rich history. It has seen empires rise and fall, it has seen magic, it has seen greatness and death, and it is dying.” 

“It is a building bewitched.”  She argued, darting her wide gaze toward a painting that seemed to meet her eyes as well. The sconces, gold and polished, bent to follow their path as though to guide them forward. The palace seemed to groan in offense, the candles quick to snuff out their light and wash the hallway with inky darkness. A cold draft caused her to shiver, letting Nephrite lead her by the arm. 

“There is no magic left here, remember?” 

“Haunted then.”  Venus said, clamping her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering. Wind swept through the towers outside causing sounds of wailing moans to rattle against the tall windows of rooms they passed. She swallowed hard, though the painting they passed had been torn by angry claws, the eyes still seemed to follow her. 

“It may very well be haunted.”  Nephrite admitted, a hard edge to his tone.  “But like a curse, the enchantment lingers. It needs magic to sustain… which is why it slowly dies. Time claims all things one way or another.” 

“That is sad… this was always such a beautiful castle. I’d always wanted to see the inside.”  She said, mouth drooping at the corners. As though on cue the distant sounds of the castle settling punctuated by cracked wood echoed back to them.  “I meant no offense…”

Venus startled as the candles all flickered back to life, adding amusement to Nephrite’s voice as they reached their destination.  “It seems you’ve been forgiven?” 

She gave the Beast a pointed look from the corner of her eyes and pursed her lips in answer, allowing him to lead her into a large but intimate dining room. 

The dining hall was just like the rest of the palace; dark. Not a large room meant for banquets and lavish social occasions, but more designated for family. A great fire was waiting for them in the hearth and candles illuminated the immediate proximity of the table itself which had been haphazardly cleaned and dusted off for their use. A table meant to seat nine. All of the paintings and mirrors had simply been removed from this room instead of destroyed, leaving the bland but tasteful wallpaper and golden chandelier with crystals flickering in the firelight to charm the otherwise empty room. 

Melting beeswax and burning cedar fragranced the space and it might have added a homey touch to the room if the empty chairs surrounding their dining arrangements had not been empty. Nephrite pulled out a chair for her to sit at a pitiful feast of apples, oranges, and berries. 

“So your freedom…”  He began, taking a seat across from her at an empty plate. The firelight flickered through his mane, made the pale blue of his eye cold while simultaneously warming the brown in the other. He looked wild but solemn, hideous, and yet somehow refined in his unkemptness.

Venus paused mid bite, setting the apple carefully back down on her golden plate, watching the fire gleam against his fangs.  “I suspect that freedom isn’t a truthful word, and you have merely expanded my cage. Will you not be eating?” 

“I prefer to dine in private,”  He began, his tail twitching nervously against the stone at his feet, “I don’t want you to feel like it is us restricting your freedom. We are all prisoners here. The Palace is yours to explore, I only ask that you avoid any doors marked by a compass, and ones carved with roses.” 

“But why-” 

“Because you have trespassed enough, and if you wish to keep your pretty head on your pretty shoulders you will obey.”  She and Nephrite froze simultaneously at the sound of that familiar gravely voice that somehow seemed to have smoothed over with an icy, deadly calm. 

Venus nearly choked on the bite of the apple she had taken. Paralyzed with fear she saw the bulky mass of white fur slink into the dining hall from the corner of her eyes with silent and deadly grace. He prowled on four long and powerful limbs, and when she did dare to look, the grey orbs of his eyes cast a green glow about them as they pierced through the darkness settling in from outside.

“Kunzite.”  Nephrite offered in terse greeting, clearly unhappy with the Wolf’s sudden appearance. 

“So your name is Kunzite?”  She heard herself asking, a sick fascination washing over her as the Wolf slinked in closer. He wrapped around behind her to sit on his haunches at the head of the table, positioned between herself and Nephrite who grated his claws against the smudged polish of the table’s wooden surface. An almost pleasant scent wafted from the Wolf, a far cry from the pungent odor of blood and wild dog that had lingered in her room long after his departure. 

His head turned just slightly, imposing the sharpness of his grey stare upon her. Something had shifted, perhaps only slightly, for his eyes were still hungry but assessing in a calculating manner that suggested intelligence if not something more carnal.  “Pleased to see you decided to grace one of us with your presence. I suppose I am to call you Venus?” 

She nodded, transfixed on the Wolf who licked his chops and fixated on her while she nervously peeled an orange. His voice was condescending, cold, jealous. Nephrite appeared so on edge that his fur raised from his skin, and a wild quality flickered in his cat-like glare when he saw the way Kunzite stared at her. The way she stared back at Kunzite. 

“Well, she declined YOUR invitation, so I didn’t see a point in her being cooped up any longer if she felt more at ease in my protection. What is it that you wanted Kunzite?” 

His expression went deadly, eyes shifting toward the Lion across from her with a low growl. Venus merely took the meekest of bites from an orange she’d been peeling, watching the two creatures engage in some sort of silent standoff. Normally she would have been outraged and pointed out that there was no need to speak for her, she was sitting right there after all, but in this instance, she didn’t dare intervene. Shockingly, she didn’t have to.

“I’m sure it has little to do with your protection. It doesn’t take a superior brain to know that no bird enjoys being trapped in such a small cage.” 

“As opposed to EATING the bird…”  Nephrite growled between his teeth. The Wolf, however, remained calm despite the utter hostility in his glare. 

Her eyes shifted between them, two monsters snarling at the other. She couldn’t help but think of that time in childhood when she and Serenity fought over a stuffed rabbit that Luna had brought as a gift for the Princess. How they pulled and tugged on the arms until the poor rabbit’s stuffing spilled out of the seams. She swallowed nervously, not even tasting the fruit as she ate as quietly as possible. 

Nephrite exhaled heavily through his nose, now tapping his claw against the table when the Wolf didn’t deign to supply him with a response.  “Aren’t you late to the hunt? I’m sure your PACK is missing you tonight.” 

Her breath caught, Kunzite sitting back more relaxed on his haunches, eyes hungry and observant as they fixed back onto her.  “I was starved. I thought I’d grab a snack before the hunt. I wouldn’t want to be rude to our guest.” 

The way he said it, Venus could hardly consider herself a “guest” here, likely more like a meal that he was saving for a special occasion. She couldn’t help but be afraid of him, feel his claws as they raked into her flesh, the things he spat at her and demanded she tell him, the fresh memory making her trust him even less.  “It’s no trouble. You are free to carry on with your evening.” 

“I am precisely where I want to be.”  He insisted, his more dignified tone not matching the wild glint in his eyes. 

“If you insist.”  Venus replied with a small offputting shrug toward Nephrite who scoffed, looking far more inhuman than she’d ever seen him. He was purely Beast. 

“Oh, I do.”  The Wolf replied without humor in his inflection. Only cold stoicism that seemed to further unnerve and simultaneously infatuate Nephrite.  “It is important that the others learn their own way.” 

“T-the others?”  Venus sputtered, blue eyes dancing between the Lion and the Wolf. She picked up a small knife beside her, fingers gripping the handle hard while she began to cut the apples on her plate into slices with care not to allow her nerves to make the blade slip and cut herself. 

“Yes. Kunzite has a tendency to lead his pack astray and abandon them when they’re at their weakest. I suppose leaving those pests who eat what little livestock we have left to supposedly ‘learn their own way’ will be no different.”  Nephrite added, something else passing between the two Beasts that only they were privy to and Venus wasn’t sure she wanted to know.  “At least we’d have more food.” 

“Take care of what you say next.”  Kunzite warned, his eyes becoming more familiar to her, more horrible. 

“Please, if you’ve come for a snack before your hunt I am glad to share.”  Venus tried to make peace, sliding her plate in front of the Wolf directly, within range of Nephrite as well but he sneered at the offering. 

Kunzite, however, exhaled deeply, tearing his hostile gaze from the Lion in favor of the plate presented to him. Lifting a large clawed hand he accepted a piece of the apple between his cumbersome fingers, the fruit crunching in his jaws. Perhaps it was a show of good faith, or what she hoped was a silent treaty between them because when he looked at her with those sharp eyes, she could see the contemplation of blood. Venus gathered that this Beast was a creature with little to say, and pride too strong to wound. No doubt his temper was nothing to trifle with. 

The scene was surreal, pulled from one of her most dreadful nightmares. It took a great feat to keep her hand from shaking as she reached for some apple slices on the plate in front of the Wolf, her nerves causing her to ramble. “The palace is very beautiful. I’d never been inside before but I imagine with a little dusting and candlelight it could be just as it was. I should say I am grateful that Nephrite and Zoisite have been the most gracious hosts, though I gather that Jadeite will take some getting used to.” 

“I’m afraid time has been more kind to some of us than others.”  Kunzite admitted, which took Venus a bit off guard. It was certainly no apology for what he’d done, the way he’d treated her, but it was enough to oddly set her at ease. Something sad in the inflection of his voice. 

“The damned fool nearly choked her to death.”  Nephrite butted in, clearly not enjoying being left out of the conversation. Judging by the momentary rising of his hackles, this did not please Kunzite. 

“Oh not to worry, he did make amends and offered me this beautiful flower he found.”  Venus said, reaching to brush her fingers over the flower that she’d placed in her hair. 

His hackles raised higher, some unknown fury or outrage he tried to suppress flaring his nostrils.  “Flower?” 

“Yes,”  Venus began, plucking the bloom from her hair to show him the vibrant crimson petals. His nose seemed to whiff the air, eyes locked wide in disbelief on the flower between her fingers.  “I believe it’s an amaryllis. He could not describe where he found it, Zoisite seemed very upset though.” 

“Eh, yes. You could say that he and Jadeite were still bickering when we left them. And no, Jadeite didn’t eat Zoi. At least I think he hasn’t...”  The two shared another look that made her feel as though they were hiding something. If a Wolf could frown, she was certain that was Kunzite’s expression when he suddenly stood on hind legs causing him to tower over them both. Venus noted that he wouldn’t look at her. For this, she was thankful.

“Excuse me.”  The wolf growled, brushing behind her to leave.

“Kunzite..”  She began, wetting her dry lips nervously. He whipped around, his eyes once more casting that ghastly glow.  “The doors, the ones marked by compasses and roses, why are they forbidden? Why must I avoid them?”

Something dangerous flashed within his glare and his lips drew back to reveal those deadly canines. She felt her blood run cold in her veins when he spoke, a soft but deadly threat just into her ear.  “Because you will do as you’re told, or I will claw out your eyes and feed them to the Snake. Then I’d finish what I started, only this time, I’ll make sure that you talk.” 

“Fine then. Keep your secrets.”  She bit harshly, her eyes prickling and glassing with angry and frightened tears. Venus clenched her eyes shut tight for a moment and held her breath, letting the nightmare pass. 

And with that, Kunzite growled in her ear and disappeared in a few swift strides across the room. Her skin rose with Nephrite deflated as though a great weight had been lifted from him though he looked as disturbed as she was.  “You’ll have to forgive him. For everything. He doesn’t mean it.” 

“I’ll forgive his rude intrusion tonight. But I won’t soon forget what he did to me. For hurting me, leaving me to die, I can’t forgive him for that.”  Her own conviction shocked her, the revulsion in her tone as she damned the Wolf with unwelcome tears in her eyes, his growl still rattling through her nerves. Her hands shook as they folded in her lap and she found herself ashamed by her poor manners, she couldn’t begin to understand him, after all. She certainly didn’t know him enough to judge more than the sharpness of his claws. 

“Are you alright Venus?”  Nephrite asked with concern. Her eyes snapped up toward him, ready to berate him for speaking on her behalf. For hiding secrets in the gazes that he shared with the monster he’d just spend days protecting her from, but she was too tired. 

“I’m fine. But I’d like to lie down. It is late, and I’m uncomfortable in this attire.”  Venus frowned, her chair scraping against the floor as she stood, spinning on her heel to leave that room in a swirl of taffeta. 

“I can escort you-” 

“Nevermind. I can find my way.”  Venus bit stubbornly, halting her retreat at the careful curl of his large fingers around her arm. 

“Have I offended you? That is never my intention.” 

Spinning to look up at him, and he looked like a wounded animal with the eyes of a beautiful man trapped within a monster, a deep exhale through her nose deflated her momentary rage.  “No- no you haven’t offended me, not beyond repair my friend. I would like that escort after all.” 

“I think it’s wise until you learn your way.”  Nephrite offered, leading her back to her room in silence. 

The Elysian Palace was, in fact, an elegant maze of winding hallways, intricate in ways the celestial palaces she’d experienced were not. Each corridor was different from the last, and as silent as he was, Nephrite seemed nothing but amused by her fascination with the detailed carvings in the wood and stone, the tapestries and armor left on display. Venus was enthralled by it, wishing there were more paintings intact since she knew that in royal sanctuaries such as this, they often told stories. 

Eventually the halls became familiar to her and her attention became fixated on the flower still twirling in her fingers with care.  “I’m not a fool.” 

“What? No one would say such things about you. After all, you saw the way Jadeite behaved.”  Nephrite chuckled, clearly trying to avert her attention. She paused at the door, gazing up at him by the light of the candelabra lit in his hand with a sly smile. 

“No one needs to say a thing. I see it in the looks you give each other and if you want me to trust you, to help you, then you’ll stop keeping secrets from me.”  She advised, leaving the Lion’s jaw slightly agape.  “Jadeite was the only one of you that has acted honestly since I arrived. He brought me this flower and it’s created some upset among you, but he thought to bring this to me. This. This simple flower means something to the magic over you, and if it helps you, then perhaps it will get me back to my people and back to my Princess.” 

He sputtered a moment, his expression growing grave.  “I think that it is best that you not fill your head with such fantasies. We have been here, like this, for a long time. Perhaps you’re merely like that amaryllis in your hand. The last bit of beauty in a dead, cursed world.” 

“I think it’s best if you put a little more hope in me.”  Venus bit her lip, braving to lace her fingers in the tangled mess of his mane if only to see if it felt like human hair, or if it was coarse like an animal. She smiled finding that it was knotted but soft, noting how he froze in place, eyes wide and less beastly.  “Remember how you said that my beauty gave you hope?” 

“Yes.” 

“Please don’t lose that now. I’m here. I want to help you. Perhaps…”  She felt her cheeks grow warm, squinting to focus on his eyes, each so different.  “Even if we break your curse and I still cannot make it home… We would have each other then. Yes?” 

Nephrite audibly swallowed and met her pointed stare with a nod, his affirmation coming raspy and choked.  “Yes. Of course. We would have each other.” 

“Good. Now let me take off this wretched cincher and rest… perhaps tomorrow you will allow me to groom that mane of yours. If I recall, your beautiful hair was perhaps one of your best features.”  Venus winked, softly laughing as she slunk into the room, peering out beyond the door leaving the bewildered creature of the Night Watch standing in the hall with a whispered:  “Goodnight.” 

The door clicked shut behind her, no key turning in the lock to seal her away this time, a false sense of freedom. Weary, Venus began the task of fighting her way out of the cumbersome and restrictive clothing. She left a trail of it, heaps of fabric strewn on the floor so she could feel the chilled evening air caressing her skin. So she could breathe. Tossing the final garment aside with a long exhale, she noted how it no longer felt as though she was breathing underwater but more like indulging in a rich dessert. Either her lungs had finally grown accustomed to Earth’s thick air, or Zoisite truly had tied that waist cincher far too tight. 

She shivered and the fire ignited in the hearth, a spark of magic spent, tingling across her skin. Venus smiled and began to hum a song she did not know, letting the Moonlight pour over her nude form as she slipped toward the tall windows to sit upon the velvet cushions of the window seat to gaze up toward her home. It seemed so close up there in the tower, but ever so far out of her reach. One by one, she began plucking the pins out of her hair, allowing cascades of loose golden curls to fall down her back, her voice lilting in her throat as she continued to hum the strange tune. 

It had been a long day, endlessly long, as though time slowed to a painful crawl and she grew tired and content. Venus thought that she would crawl in bed, and as she turned to do so, a chilling howl pierced through the night from outside. Low and powerful, the sound was close enough to cause shivers to ripple across her flesh and she whipped around to spy the foggy moor beyond her windows. She gasped, watching the white Wolf in the hunt, chasing a beautiful pure white stag across the misty grass. He caught up to it easily, pouncing with a violent roar while the rest of the wolves chased the simple doe that had accompanied the great horned creature. 

The stag thrashed and it’s screams echoed horribly, struggling against the vicious Beast until he ripped into the buck’s throat with his teeth spilling crimson rivers down its pure white hide, clamping until his prize went still. Kunzite lifted his head to the Moon, another bone chilling howl filling the night while the stag’s lifeblood dribbled from his muzzle and staining his pristine coat red with the triumphant death of his prey. 

Their eyes locked then, she could see that icy gleam of his eyes from the grounds below until she could feel his intense and horrible gaze stroke across her bare skin. Her blood ran cold, her hand lifting to rest upon her breast to keep her heart from bursting from her chest and it wasn’t until she went to swallow down the dry lump in her throat that Venus realized she was crying. A frigid tear fell from her cheek, rolling down from the tip of her breast to the cushion beneath her as they stared at each other for far too long. His chest heaved and nostrils flared, breath lifting into the cold night in ragged clouds, white fur soaked with the creature’s blood. Those glowing eyes... 

With a distraught sob, she tore herself from the window, pulling the curtain shut, stumbling backward as quickly as she could without a breath to fill her lungs. A white stag was a sacred entity to the Moon Kingdom, and that innocent animal’s cries would haunt her dreams tonight, filling her with a dread of what was to become of her beloved Serenity? 

Venus crawled into bed, clutching her pillows tightly to help muffle her sobs.  “I can’t forgive him, I won’t.”  She declared, trying not to acknowledge the sadness that she’d seen in the Wolfman’s eyes, trying not to feel guilty for it. She sniffled and clenched her eyes tight enough to see stars if only not to remember the pale hollow glow of his stare.  “He is a monster…” 

She should have felt no remorse for him, a ruthless, bloodthirsty creature, and yet the next howl that ripped through the silent night from behind the thick velvet curtain was a declaration of mourning.


	7. A Lion's Loyalty

Dawn had barely begun to set the sky ablaze when Zoisite spied the wolves from his safe perch high upon the garden’s wall. Four grey wolves with yellow eyes flanking their alpha as Kunzite dragged himself toward the palace. In comparison to the White Wolf, the others appeared dwarfed to the size of mere pups, yipping and whimpering their confusion when he lurched up on his hind legs, turning to snarl at them in an attempt to ward the large canines away. The stone quaked when Kunzite roared at them, and Zoisite could almost feel the abandonment all over again when the wolves tucked their tails between their legs and slunk back toward their den deep in the woods. He might have even given Kunzite grief for leaving another pack lost and astray, but as he looked down at his old friend from the wall, he thought better of it.

His pristine white fur was spattered with drying blood, his mouth and claws russet with the night’s slaughter, and yet despair drooped his ears, his tail dragging on the ground behind him. Kunzite waited until his pack disappeared into the trees before he pressed into the palace, not bothering to resort to his usual prowl on four legs. He had lived in those woods with generations of those wolves for longer than Zoisite could remember, so he was all too curious as to what had drawn their leader back. Not that the answer wasn’t entirely obvious, Kunzite never had been good with his emotions after all.

Not ready to become a final snack for the wolves before bed, he waited patiently until the threat of them seeing or smelling him had passed before Zoisite scurried down the wall. Not that the company he sought now was any safer.

“Jadeite!”  He called out across the barren courtyard. There was never any telling where in the vast gardens of Elysium that the blasted serpent had chosen to make his bed. Zoisite’s whiskers twitched in annoyance, thinking it should be easy to find a jade green snake in a sea of white statues and dead brown foliage, but it was likely the bastard would sneak up on him when he least wanted him to.  “JADE!”

“What?”  The green Snake whispered, flickering his forked tongue straight into Zoisite’s ear. The Rat startled, scurrying a few strides away, despite not being any match for Jadeite’s speed. He grinned his serpent’s grin and flicked his tongue, blue eyes flashing in the early morning Sun.  “Come for breakfast have you?” 

“I wish you wouldn’t do that you vile-” 

“Snake?”  Jadeite finished, his grin spreading wider. 

Zoisite huffed, raking a paw down his snout and through his whiskers, sighing tiredly.  “Show me where you found it.” 

“Found what?” 

“The FLOWER you imbecile!” 

“Oh, that.”  Jadeite said slowly, pondering for a second before nodding his head as a gesture for the Rat to follow him.  “I suppose it is strange, isn’t it? I didn’t think much about it when I found them but come to think of it, flowers haven’t bloomed here in centuries.” 

“You were always a bit absentminded.”  Zoisite jabbed distastefully, straining to keep up with his slithering friend.  “You implied more than one, are there more of them?” 

“Mm, yessssss they were blooming in the Nephrite’s garden. What do you think it means, oh wise vermin?” 

“You’ll choose your next words carefully.”  Zoisite hissed, earning Jadeite’s bark of laughter. 

“Or what? I’d swallow you whole-” 

“And I’d chew my way out from the inside, now FOCUS. It’s been three hundred years since the last bloom in these gardens died, it must mean something.” 

They approached the Western gardens, entering a courtyard that hadn’t been used in countless years. Surely it wasn’t unheard of that they just hadn’t noticed the scarlet amaryllis blooming. His mouth fell agape, and as though they were live creatures that might bite him, Zoisite approached the flowers warily. Four perfect blooms with at least eight more flowers budding around them. 

Jadeite circled around them, his body creating something of a perimeter around the growing life within the courtyard. His tongue lapped the air, no doubt tasting them, smelling them.  “You have been in the palace more often than I have since she arrived. Perhapsssss it is that beauty, the Venusian that Kunzite captured.” 

Sweet perfume enveloped his senses and with a careful paw, Zoisite reached to touch the petals of one of the amaryllis.  “She has been rather cozy with the mangy Lion… no irony to me that these are his gardens. Coincidence perhaps since they are fully bloomed, do you recall how long they have been here?” 

If Jadeite had arms to shrug he might have done so. Instead, he shivered in the chill of dawn and lowered his face to smell the flowers for himself, glassy eyes thoughtful. Asking this Snake about time was like asking an hourglass to tell the weather.  “I’d say a few days at most, though these buds are new and growing quickly without the proper weather for it.” 

“You speak like you know anything about gardening.”  Zoisite scoffed, issuing a glare up toward the snake’s clueless stare. 

“Well I AM green…: 

“Yes, and you have no thumbs.”  He retorted, lifting his paws and flexing his small thumbs to mock him. 

Jadeite slithered so quickly forward that he had little time to react, but his tongue brushed his nose and Zoisite batted him away.  “At least I don’t eat garbage.” 

“You acquire a taste for it.”  He shrugged and took a step back, once again turning his attention to the flowers swaying in the Autumn breeze. Do you think we should bring this to Kunzite’s attention? Does Nephrite know that more are blooming?”

The Snake scoffed and shivered.  “Does Kunzite OR Nephrite care? I dare say our fearless leader is more like a rabid dog, and our Night Watchman appears rather occupied with our guest. You have been around barking orders at me on her behalf as well. Could it be that she has captured your cold little rodent’s heart?” 

“Don’t be an idiot for five minutes if you can stand it.”  Zoisite spat, waving him off with his paw,  “These flowers MEAN something… but what?”

“Well, Nephrite clearly knows about them and has done nothing, and I spied Kunzite sniffing his way around just last night. He probably caught the scent, and I noticed he’s been sleeping inside the palace. He’s not been himself, whoever that is these days. Related perhaps?” 

“Yes, and not a terrible turn of events if you ask me, and I do find myself in your company far more often than I’d prefer as of late. It could be related but I think we should monitor this.”  His green eyes shifted nervously toward the carved stone door just barely visible across the few barren courtyards with a small swallow as he felt his throat grow tight.  “Do you think maybe….”

“Maybe.”  Jadeite replied with the same thought, the two standing in eerie silence, staring toward the ancient tomb with unspoken hope.  “Illusions are my specialty and I sense nothing foul at play, though I’d be blind to think that this hope I’m feeling isn’t just that. Something foul. Though it could also be the dreaded cold…”

“You COULD come inside where it’s warmer you know. Rather suffer the cold and pray for a death that you know will never come.”  Jadeite rolled his blue serpent eyes which became somehow kinder when he looked down at Zoisite.  “Don’t look at me like that. It’s not my fault you lack the sense.” 

“Aw Zoi, I’m touched. I didn’t know you cared.” 

“Stop it.”  He paused to glare up into the all too pleased face of Jadeite before taking a final glance at the amaryllis and turned to scurry off with Jadeite on his heels.  “Sleep in the sitting room if you’re so cold, there is always a fire. We should search the other gardens though, in case perhaps there are more flowers blooming somewhere else within mine, or even yours. I can’t imagine why but the girl seems quite fond of me. There may be something growing in mine if my theory about her is correct.” 

Jadeite huffed, glaring at the Rat while he scurried away, knowing he could catch up with ease, knowing he could swallow him whole if he chose to do so. Zoisite would deserve it, after all, always bossing him around.  “I’ll only help you search because I want to know what symptoms of lingering enchantments are at play here.”  Muttering under his breath,  “I’ll be damned if this is a symptom of hope.” 

* * *

“Perhaps this one isn’t, too bad.”  Venus agreed later, eyeing her reflection in a fractal mirror that Zoisite took the time to assemble for her. He’d dressed her in a lower cut ensemble of rich blue taffeta skirts and a thinner linen blouse with loose sleeves, airy and cinched at the wrists, fitted with a bit less modesty to keep her from complaining about his fashion choices trying to choke her. 

“Hold still.”  Zoisite commanded, balancing on her shoulder while he carefully placed half of her hair back in curls and away from her face with pins comically protruding from his mouth. 

“I haven’t given that flower a bit of water, I’m surprised it has not perished or wilted yet.”  Venus shifted her eyes toward the mantle where a blood red bloom rested on the surface without a petal out of place. From the corner of her eye, she caught the mirror’s reflection to find the hands of a man delicately pinning curls into her hair though she could still feel Zoisite’s weight upon her shoulder. She gasped and flinched, nearly knocking the Rat from his perch.

“I told you to hold still! What has gotten into you?”  He snapped.

“N-nothing.”  Venus stammered, unwilling to admit that she was starting to see things. 

“It is only a flower, nothing to get so worked up about.”  He clearly lied, trying to distract her.  “Flowers in Elysium were enchanted. They aren’t meant to die.” 

“But they DID die.”  She pointed out, still trying to make sense of the past few days, her eyes shifting nervously back toward the mirror. Zoisite sighed from her shoulder, placing the final pin in her hair.

“Of course they died. Are you TRYING to test my patience? We’ll be late for dinner.”  He hopped down and scurried toward the door, which he opened by hopping up to grab the knob, dangling to twist it open for her. Venus smiled gently and bent to scoop the oversized Rat up into her arms, holding him in front of her like a teddy bear beneath his arms. 

“I have to amuse myself somehow.”  She mused, pausing to grab an ornate comb from the side table on her way out the door and placed Nephrite’s latest gift strategically into her hair. Not that by now he hadn’t shoveled what was left of Elysium’s wealth into the room neighboring hers, a treasure trove of more gold and jewels than she’d ever seen in one place. She only selected pretty gifts she could use. 

“Do you insist on carrying me like I’m your rag doll? I’m not a toy you know.” 

“Hush. I know you don’t mind or you would have gotten away by now.”  At this, he seemed to almost nestle against her chest a bit more and tried to mask his comforted sigh as one of disdain. 

“The palace is drafty, and you’re warm.”  He explained, both of them growing quiet in contemplation of flowers that shouldn’t be growing. 

Instead of the great dining hall, Nephrite invited her to dine in one of the sitting rooms she hadn’t seen yet. The warm wood of the walls and furniture, plush lounging sofas, and thick drapes in rich jewel tones added a cozy feeling by the light of the fire in the hearth. Immediately, Venus became drawn in by a tall and very strange and ornate grandfather clock, ticking an odd rhythm into the silence of the room. She merely glanced at Nephrite who sat as still as a statue in an oversized armchair, his eyes fixed so intensely on it that he didn’t seem to even hear her entry. 

The clock’s rhythm drew her in, a hypnotic series of ticks and tocks that had almost a musical quality. Strange but horrible creatures were carved into the wood from the base to the bonnet, a golden horse with dove’s wings making up the pointed finial at the very top. Her slippers sunk into the thick pile of a sprawling Oriental rug, slowly stepping toward the oddity with seven hands moving backward across the gold and ebony face to mark some indecipherable method of time telling. 

Her eye fell to the gleaming moondial, made from abalone and moonstone so its beaming face nearly glowed in the dim light as it seemed to stare back at her with its wide grin and ebony eyes. She felt mocked by it, choked by this dark reminder of the precious little time she had to resolve this situation before her Queen became defenseless. Queen Beryl wasn’t known to bide her time aimlessly for too long. This clock seemed to know that somehow. 

The next forward step she took was one of carelessness. She stepped on the hem of her skirts, the sensation of falling breaking the sorrowful trance the clock seemed to have placed her in. She must have cried out when she tripped because it stirred Nephrite from his solitude, only it wasn’t his arms that caught her.

The other armchair slid across the carpet on its own to break her fall before she ever knew what had happened. Venus and Nephrite stared at each other baffled for a moment before he cleared his throat and extended a clawed hand to help her to her feet.  “Are you alright?” 

“Fine, I think,”  Venus said, gingerly moving the chair back into its place. She felt foolish for the care she used, in case the animate chair could actually feel what she was doing to it.  “I must still be weaker than I thought.” 

“Indeed.”  He replied, warily eyeing the chair as he reclaimed his seat.  “I can’t say it’s unusual, but it has been a while since I’ve seen the castle react in such a manner.” 

Venus opted to sit on a sofa, smoothing her skirts and allowing Zoisite to crawl up beside her on the cushion. She frowned, glancing briefly at the clock that seemed to morbidly stare back at her, smiling with its merrily swaying pendulum bob and the moon’s wide mocking smile.  “Yes well, I have seen candles light themselves on my way here tonight. I have seen doors open of their own accord, and the paintings-” 

“Enchanted, remember?”  Zoisite interrupted, helping himself to one of the plump berries on the plate waiting for her on the small folding table in front of her. Hungry as she was, her stomach turned at the sight of her usual scant meal of fruit and water, rumbling with longing for meats, bread, cheese, and sweet delicacies she’d long taken for granted.  “Things no longer respond to us the way they used to. The way they seem to respond to you.”

She hummed her agreement about the castle’s enchantment, and against her stomach’s better judgment, she indulged her hunger with some plump grapes from the vineyard. Both of the Beast’s had grown eerily silent, staring at the strange clock with vacant, if not forlorn, expressions. Nephrite merely stroked the ends of his matted mane, allowing the awful song of the clock to fill the silence when she longed for friendly conversation. 

“That is an odd clock.”  She observed, eating her dinner no matter how her stomach revolted.  “It is impossible to tell the time, why does it have so many hands?” 

“Not everything warrants an explanation.”  Nephrite replied quietly, coldly. 

“Another enchantment?”  She continued, scrutinizing the towering old grandfather clock as though it could hear her. Mars had always talked to her about auras and vibes, and this antiquity gave her a very strange feeling.  “It appears to be running backward, why is that?” 

“Enough questions!”  The Lion snarled, his brown eye gleaming amber in the firelight while the blue one chilled Venus to the bone. 

She winced at the harshness of his voice, merely nodding and folding her hands in her lap with her chin lifted defiantly. She could be a vain, stubborn little creature sometimes. Venus eyed the plate in front of her with disinterest, somehow a signal for Zoisite to help himself to the remainder of the grapes and berries. This would be how she’d die, she thought. She’d die with rooms filled with gold and gifts, wardrobes of fine frocks and jewels, but no food to sustain her. Surely they had a garden with roots or vegetables of some kind, though it became clear to her right away that these creatures were more suited for more militant and violent duties than working a garden. Not that she was any better off in that regard. 

When the silence had grown sufficiently awkward, Nephrite took a calming breath and turned his Lion’s face to look at her with sincerity.  “You will have to forgive my harsh tone.”

“I’m required to forgive nothing.”  Venus folded her arms and unflinchingly glared back at Nephrite while Zoisite very audibly scoffed with his mouth full of blackberries.  “You won’t even entertain my questions about a silly clock! I have a thousand questions and am silenced by the threat of claws. I am stranded here, the same as you.” 

“Claws have never been a threat from me,”  Zoisite said drowsily. He made an atrocious sight with his mouth stained berry red, but with his belly full, he nestled beside her on the cushion and almost stole her stern facade with his sleepy contentment.  “Just my teeth… “ 

His voice trailed off as the Rat fell into a heavy slumber as though he was exhausted. She had to smile, fighting the urge to roll her eyes as she stroked the wiry fur down his back and he began to softly snore. Yes, he was so terribly vicious.

She could feel Nephrite’s eyes boring into her from the armchair beside the sofa but Venus refused to return his gaze until he spoke. There was desperation in his tone, something defeated and sad and for the first time, genuine.  “In time, I hope I can tell you all of it, but-” 

“Nonsense.”  She interrupted, keeping her voice hushed but sharp. 

Nephrite uttered a soft growl, a calming breath.  “You may only see us as monsters, we are, but I swear that I would never harm you.” 

“Take care of what oaths you promise me,”  Venus warned, snapping her brilliant blue eyes toward the Lion in the chair.  “I don’t appreciate being left in the dark about the prison I’ve been condemned to. I expected more from you most of all.”

“Were my gifts not enough? Removing you from that dungeon?”  He sighed defeatedly and turned to fully address her with his beastly face.  “I see. You expected the man that I was.”

“You cannot pretend to know what I expected.”  She muttered, forcing her eyes from his ghastly appearance not out of disgust, but guilt because he was right. Not that his gifts were unwelcome, and she owed him her life, but all things considered she wasn’t going to find her way home with a king’s trove of treasure and arguably fine dresses. Venus had expected a far more handsome rescuer.  “I told you that I am grateful, and I am.” 

“The man you knew is dead, though you hardly knew me. I’m afraid if you did, you wouldn’t have had such high expectations. Even then.”  Nephrite resigned, reaching with a large, monstrous hand to reach and urge Venus to look at him again with a finger beneath her chin. She couldn’t help but think of how conveniently the claw of that hand was positioned right at her throat.  “I’ll be as honest as I’m able to be, but it is just a clock, Venus. Nothing more.”

“Okay.”  She nodded, still unsatisfied with the pinched tone in his voice. Lies. 

“Can you tell me what happened that day? Almost five hundred years now since the Earth fell,”  He paused jarringly, eyes shifting nervously toward the clock.  “I scarcely remember it now.” 

She shivered, in part to his strange behavior, but also because she remembered that night so very well. In comparison to the way time seemed to drag in this place, the first attack against the Silver Millennium felt like it had only just happened a few weeks prior. 

With care not to wake him, Venus shifted Zoisite’s sleeping form to one of the pillows beside her and stood, pulling the comb from her hair. She studied the beautiful gift, white bone and inlaid with golden filigree, and turned it in her fingers. She would have to be careful about what she said about the ordeal, and what she didn’t say. 

“It happened during a ball,”  She began, Nephrite’s eyes widening when she sauntered toward him and lifted her eyes to meet his.  “I was drunk on happiness and wine, carefree as I’d ever been. I was trying to choose a lover for the evening, perhaps two.”  The firelight licked the shadows of the room, dancing and deviantly playing with them, giving his face a slightly more human quality. A trick of the light, surely. Venus took it upon herself to perch upon his knee, fingering the softness of his mane which felt familiar to the touch. She began to comb the nests from it with her treasured gift, her voice taking on a more somber tone.  “It happened without warning. Beryl was just there, uninvited to our festivities just to tell us that Earth had fallen. We didn’t know that she had brought an army with her. We were unprepared, ambushed. I often think about what I could have done to prevent it.” 

“Go on.”  Nephrite urged softly, staring so intensely at her while she worked. Only wincing when she encountered an exceptionally stubborn knot.

“There’s not much more to say from my perspective. It’s been a war for us ever since. Starvation, survival, ruination. That’s it.”  She paused to meet his eyes, only for a moment before the intensity of his stare caused her face to grow warm, and Venus continued her work.  “There are only so many ways I can say that had we known sooner, things could have been so different for us.”  Their eyes met and she swallowed uneasily.  “For all of us, I mean-” 

“Well, isn’t this precious.” 

The familiar deep voice encroached upon the moment, the doorframe blocked out by a mass of snow white fur and teeth. Always bared teeth. His hackles were raised, ears perked and Venus was sure that he’d heard it all based on the coldness in his piercing eyes. Zoisite stirred, beady green eyes shifting between her, still perched on Nephrite’s lap, and the white wolf looming in the entrance. 

“Care to join us?”  She offered, not moving from her seat, shifting her focus back to Nephrite’s mane in an attempt to look unaffected. Truly she wasn’t as bothered by his presence as she thought she’d be. Perhaps the promise of Nephrite’s protection was enough.

“No. The hunt awaits.” 

The memory of what she’d seen the previous night, the Wolf lost in the throes of ecstasy as he claimed his precious kill. How easily his claws had torn into the flesh of the white stag, how easily they’d torn through hers. The way his mournful and hollow howls penetrated the air with a chilling dread that Venus felt even then as Kunzie stared at her so fixedly from across the room. He knew that she’d seen him, and what was worse, bared down to nothing but the goosebumps on her skin, she knew that he’d seen her. 

“Go then. Hunt with your pack.”  Nephrite interrupted the thick silence as though he could feel her discomfort, and Kunzite seemed to scoff at this though his piercing gaze never wavered away from her.

“Be careful of this one Venus. Not all Lions are loyal.”  He remarked, voice low and graveled.

“About as loyal as a Wolf.”  Nephrite replied with a bitter tongue.

Kunzite laughed darkly in his throat exactly once, his stare lingering until she could feel it coldly caress her skin until he turned and left the room as silently as he entered. She couldn’t help but ponder his words as she finished combing the tangles from Lion’s mane.


	8. The Solarium

Venus woke to her typical unsatisfactory meal of fruit and water which she ate out of mere principle that she should be grateful to receive what they provided to her. Surely she’d come across the kitchen in her exploration that morning with the hope to find something more palatable, more substantial to finally fill her yearning stomach. She sat up, pulling back the blankets to find that a golden yellow frock had been set out for her. Many layers of undergarments and skirts, overskirts, and even a matching overcoat, all waiting to choke her. 

Should her path cross with Zoisite that day he’d be likely to scold her. She got up to dress, omitting the corset but deciding that she liked the volume that the underskirts gave her and kept those. The high necked blouse in black lace and gathered sleeves was restraining enough, so she chose not to wear the overcoat as well. Perhaps she’d retrieve it if the weather was as cold and damp as it looked, but her errands weren’t outside that day. As planned, she wanted to explore the palace more, perhaps find clues to help her out of this situation, a clue to what had happened there, something to take her back home. 

Without the company of Zoisite or Nephrite, the hallways felt oppressive and alive. The moment she stepped outside of her room, a row of displayed armored suits turned their heads with loud metallic scrapes, and Venus froze but they did not move any further except to slowly watch as she walked by them. Candles nestled in their golden sconces ignited with her first step and she gasped but felt somewhat grateful for the light. She’d seen these wonders before, and yet they felt more judgemental now that she was alone. They felt heavy. 

The eyes of the paintings moved when she passed them down the hall. At first, she chalked it up to a trick of the light until she tested one of them and stepped from side to side, backward and forward watching the painted irises move with her. She might have laughed if she hadn’t felt so uneasy, staring up into the blank expression of a once beautiful woman. Why did Earthen artists never paint their women smiling? 

“Such things you must have seen.”  She said quietly, brushing her fingertips along a carved golden frame before turning and strolling carefully down the wide corridor of the wing she was staying in.  “You had a life here once too...and I bet you were happy.” 

The room beside hers was full of treasures that Nephrite had gathered, claiming she could have their wealth to do with what she pleased, though she wasn’t certain what she could do with such finery. It made her think about her life once upon a time. How easily her affections were bought with such gifts, but the life of a soldier required these affections to be empty and meaningless luxuries. The finery that came with it were mere trophies of her admirers, as vacant as the rest of the rooms that surrounded her own. 

They were all smaller apartments in comparison to the suite Nephrite had given her, likely saved for nobles who served the royal family once though not much of their existence was left. What little possessions remained of these people were likely in piles of hoarded treasure, wealth that meant nothing in this post-apocalyptic world of high necks and bustled skirts. Venus explored each room, always a bit startled when the doors would open on their own for her, a silent invitation to usher her inside. It always felt like a trap, like the door would slam shut behind her, imprisoning her inside. They never did.

She made her way downstairs toward the main hall where the stained glass very faintly interrupted the shadows to cast vibrant colors against the stone floor. The main entrance was a tempting route to escape, and she might have tried if her powers were intact, but with the state of things beyond the castle’s gates, she knew wouldn’t get far. She had nowhere else to go anyway, and if there were answers, Venus was certain they would be inside this very palace. 

If she could find a way to regain her power, she swore under her breath that she’d hunt down, and kill Queen Beryl herself. 

She approached a pair of double doors, swearing the statues guarding them moved to watch her, or perhaps direct her inside as the doors opened by themselves to invite her. The room beyond was unused it seemed, another pristine sitting room with a writing desk she discovered to be empty, and a few shelves of very basic and boring books. Sure, there were chairs huddled around a fire and a chessboard abandoned mid game, but nothing helpful until another set of doors within the room swung open as well.

The room on the other side illuminated with a faint electric buzz, seeming to be the only room in the palace so far with any such luxury. Venus frowned, taking care as she stepped forward in case she wasn’t alone. She certainly didn’t FEEL alone. 

“Hello? Is someone there?”  She called out. No answer. 

Her heeled boots echoed against the polished stone floor, a noisy change from the silence that came with walking on thick Oriental rugs that seemed to be sprawled inside every room. The sparse lightbulbs hummed noisily like a colony of bees while the silence drowned out all other sounds. Clunky and archaic machinery filled the room and Venus felt her heart soar when she realized she’d discovered an old communication center. She could send a message home and direct a rescue mission to come retrieve her! 

The technology was old and dusty, soiling her palms with dust and oil as she tried her best to wipe it clean. Rapidly, she entered the correct codes for Serenitatis and lifted the receiver to her ear. 

“Mercury! Mercury can you read me!? It is Venus, please answer right away! I am alive and...”  She growled impatiently at the silence and desperately slammed the keys again. There was nothing. Not even static or interference where there should have at least been some white noise.  “Please work…  _ please! _ Jupiter please say you can hear me...” 

She’d always been a pro at utilizing technology, however maintenance, repairs, or anything dealing with the actual hardware was well beyond her knowledge. Venus slumped after several minutes of pushing buttons and dials and flipping switches that did nothing, she began pounding the dashboard violently and fought the powerful urge to cry. 

Her eyes shifted toward what looked like the main control panel that managed both the communications hub as well as the teleportation device. Her eyes immediately filled with tears when she noticed that it had been smashed killing the power to all other communication modules. 

“No no no no no!”  She sobbed, stepping toward the dark, cracked screen and lifeless levers and buttons. Her fingers fumbled to try and locate the problem, to see if there was something she could do to fix it, but Venus had never been very savvy with technology, that’s why she kept Mercury in charge of such things. She pounded her fists against the control panel like she could break it any more than it was already broken, shrieking in frustration, kicking at the cabinets with the toes of her boots until she saw spots behind her eyelids. Finally, she slumped down on her knees shocked at how the sobs wracked in her chest. She suddenly felt weak. Tired. Truthfully she felt like giving up. 

“Why has no one come for me?”  She said, burying her face in her hands, rubbing the tears away with her fingertips. She always had been so self centered. 

As a soldier, she knew the resources needed were far too intense for a rescue mission in the Moon’s current condition. It was only then when she realized just how cut off from the rest of the Galaxy she was, that she lost all hope for that. She was trapped in a palace occupied by four grizzly beasts while the Demon Queen threatened the home she longed to see again. A home that, sooner rather than later, would be destroyed regardless of how desperately she wanted to save it. 

As Nephrite had said, this was her home now. 

By the time Venus finally dragged herself from the eerie silence of the control room a heavy weariness settled into her limbs. Exhaustion from thrashing her frustrations out on communication technology that would do her no good. Besides, she figured that her body was still recovering from the Wolf’s claws, weakened by a lack of substantial food and quality rest. She wiped the tears from her eyes, leaving her cheeks raw and flushed from scrubbing the hopelessness from them while she walked back into the sitting room she’d previously passed through. 

Now more than ever, she was determined to explore more of the palace, and even more anxious to find answers after seeing how the Beasts had cut off their own ties to the Alliance or any other planet lingering beyond their own. She found it hard not to hold it against them considering it had been her only hope, her only means of escape, surely they had their reasons even when reason seemed to be sorely lacking among the four of them. 

Loudly, her stomach rumbled so viciously that she felt it rumble against her palm. She supposed her primary hope at the moment would be to somehow stumble upon a kitchen with a prayer that there would be something left behind that might still be edible. Maybe then she could regain some of her previous strength.

Just as she was ready to enter the main hall again, the feeling of being watched suddenly shifted somehow. It was no longer just whatever enchantment had been placed upon the entire castle, she could almost hear it breathe, watching her with weight to its observations. She could almost feel a familiar tugging on her mind as though someone was peeling back the layers to peer inside, raising every hair on her body in alarm. 

He had been suspiciously absent so she shouldn’t have been so surprised to find Jadeite sprawled along the length of the hallway’s marble floor. Yards of his green scales gleamed in the faint rays of sunlight from the stained glass windows of the main hall, the sheer length of his body now more intimidating being inside and more contained and measurable. His head was lifted, staring in her direction with an intense knowingness in his cobalt eyes, perfectly still. Perfectly silent. A hungry demon wearing a serpent’s guise. 

For a long moment of quietude, their eyes locked, and while Venus was now frozen in fear, trying to gauge the lethality of Jadeite’s intentions or if he merely was being observant. He held her captive with his gaze, so much so that she barely registered the speed at which he moved the impossible length of his body. She’d barely blinked and the Snake was suddenly so close, the majority of his body coiled around himself, his forked tongue lapping at the air as he leered down at her. 

She almost screamed, but it would have been a delayed reaction to his movements. Instead, her breath lodged in her throat and she stumbled back against the door of the study she’d just emerged from. He stared some more, silently, and after a calming breath, she noticed that Jadeite was shivering.

It reminded her that these creatures were wild. Basic instinct fueled them rather than emotion or sound reasoning, or maybe she had that backward. Regardless, they were unused to the care of anyone else. This was the source of her fear, Venus knew she’d have to tread carefully because just like the Wolf, Jadeite seemed far more primitive than Zoisite and Nephrite. The Mad Snake, he’d been called. So she kept her voice soft and soothing the way an animal tamer might have done, failing to keep it steady when she spoke if nothing else than to break the deafening silence.  “A-are you alright?” 

He blinked, his tongue lapping the air between them, and stared for a moment as though it took a moment to comprehend her words. Perhaps he was simply just that cold.  “Ah yes, the evenings grow colder Beautiful One. I’m not sure how much longer I can stand it.” 

Her brows furrowed in confusion, unsure if she wanted to prod him too much. Surely seasons weren’t anything new from over the centuries. Neither were chilly nights.  “Well, don’t you have a room of your own? A bed? The palace is full of them.” 

It was common sense to her, and the palace was full of vacant rooms equipped with plush beds and fireplaces. Jadeite however hissed, blue eyes narrowing at her with hostility she wasn’t sure she deserved. It had to be a touchy subject for a reason he’d likely conceal from her the way all of the Beasts seemed to keep their secrets about everything. 

“There is no place for us here.”  He replied and tore his eyes away from her, toward the stairs leading upward to the second floor. 

More nonsense, she thought, knowing well that Nephrite and Zoisite both seemed to make themselves somewhat at home inside the palace. It was true, however, that she’d never seen them come or go from any rooms. They merely demanded her presence, and she obeyed only to keep herself out of harm’s way.  “Surely you can’t believe that. Everyone has a place… you lived here once, didn’t you?”

Regret shivered down her spine when Jadeite hissed again, baring his thin, pointed teeth. Zoisite had told her that like the Wolf, the Snake had refused to sleep inside for reasons Venus was not ready to explore any further for the moment given the way he leaned slowly toward her with hunger in his eyes. She wondered if he was venomous, and what would happen if he bit her. 

“Okay,”  She began, carefully stepping around him toward the center of the hallway so he no longer had her cornered.  “Why don’t we try and find you a nice warm place to sleep inside? Though I think that you would be more comfortable in a room, there are plenty of bed-” 

“But who would tuck me in at night?”  He asked, his eyes growing wide with feigned, malicious, innocence.  “I have no arms to do so by myself.” 

“Right. Not a bed.”  She said, lips pursed into a straight line at his innuendo. Jadeite unnerved her to say the least, another Mad Beast she had to be careful of.  “Well I was just exploring, so let’s see what we can find that might suit you.” 

Despite the hairs raised on the back of her neck, Venus turned her back to the Snake and began walking slowly down the hall. There was no sound, and when she dared to glance behind her, he was still in the same place, watching her walk away. 

“Why do you want to help?”  He asked, the hiss in his tone oddly diffused into something smoother, deeper with a hint of an accent she could not place. She turned, finding her lips tugging slightly at the corners, the homesickness from earlier lingering in her eyes in the form of pity for the poor snake. 

“It’s just as I said. I believe that everyone has a place.” 

At that, Jadeite followed her. He didn’t say much even though she wished he would. The silence gnawed on her the way hunger chewed viciously on her stomach as they made their way down the hall. She suggested a courtyard with a dried up fountain in the center that would be warmed by a mid-day sun, but he declined. He would not sleep in the sitting room, something about the way that strange clock ticked at all hours driving him to further madness. He didn’t even want to enter the room, slithering ahead with his silent dismissal. 

The smaller hallway she chose appeared to be one of the old service hallways servants used to carry out their business without getting in the way of the highborn blood that used to occupy the castle. It should have been a flurry of content and bustling workers going about their days where the corridor now remained dark, and as still as death. It turned out it didn’t matter how noble or royal your blood was, ruination had swept through this Kingdom without remorse or discrimination. In the end, it didn’t matter at all. Venus bit her lip and blinked away the tears, finding it difficult to swallow the bitter and humbling lessons learned about death, but she’d rather die than cry in front of Jadeite. 

She thought she might cram him into a linen closet she found, but his body was far too large and lengthy to fit. Each room was too cold, and even she had to admit the draft in the air made her long for her own comfortable bed and the warmth of a mid-day fire. Anything to escape the dreariness that seemed to wrap its arms around her since she found that busted old control room, the cold in the air that made her shiver like it was contagious, but no room or option she presented Jadeite with was good enough. This Snake was far too hard to please. 

Faster and faster she walked, candles illuminating their way, doors opening to beckon them inside, and as she went she could feel the eyes of the palace following each frantic step. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t remember where she was going, only turning and turning down a twisting labyrinth of hallways with the Snake on her heels until she burst into a huge, wide, open room. 

The air was thicker here, warm and humid, scented by rain and moss. She gazed up in wonder at the glass ceiling that was broken in places allowing the garden outside to begin invading the inside with the only speck of green that Venus had seen since her arrival. A great fountain nestled between two moss covered sets of stone stairs that led upward toward a platform for sunbathing now only occupied by crumbling statues and benches where people must have enjoyed having tea and basking in the Sun. Faint rainbows danced across the floor and all of the panic seemed to melt away as she lifted her face toward the passing clouds above her.

“This is beautiful.”  She gasped, and it was. The Solarium was beautiful in ways only abandoned buildings were beautiful. Ragged and old, a treasure left behind for nature to reclaim man-made objects with gorgeous decay. Sweat actually beaded down her back beneath her blouse, and Jadeite slithered forward to assess the vast chamber. She watched him with equal horror and fascination while he ascended the steps of the platform where the rays of the sun were brightest, eyes gazing around him while his tongue tasted the damp air.  “It could be perfect.” 

“It has potential. It’s certainly a big enough chamber for a King.”  He boasted, his voice swallowed up by the thickness of the air. There was a spot just at the top of the platform where the top of the fountain on the lower level reached that the Snake seemed to settle in on himself. If a Snake could smile, she supposed he might have been doing just that.

Venus giggled, as though the sunbeams soaked into her skin and hair and cleansed her of the darkness clawing at her mind and she gave a deep curtsy up toward him.  “Does this chamber suit you, My King?”

Eager to play along, Jadeite lifted his head up with smugness gleaming in his eyes.  “It just might, Beautiful One. It is warm, but is it suited for entertainment as well? Would you dance for me? Perhaps a song?” 

“It would be an honor.”  She grinned, and began to twirl, dancing between rays of the sun and rainbows that flickered across the stone floor. Forgetting her hunger, she twirled until she was dizzy, her heels making satisfying echoes against the damp stone until her weariness caught up with her, and her vision darkened around the edges rather suddenly.

Her legs buckled beneath her. Venus thought she was falling until something large and powerful wrapped around her waist and held her upright. She saw green.  “Gracious, are they not feeding you?” 

“Jadeite…thank you.”  She rasped, blinking a few times to clear the spots from her vision. The Snake gently helped her sit on the edge of the fountain, uncoiling the end of himself from around her. Stagnant water still pooled at the bottom of the fountain, clear and glassy, and as she tried to catch her breath she caught the reflection of short blonde hair, only it wasn’t her own. A man? Venus gasped and snapped her head up to look at him, meeting the mesmerizing blue eyes of the giant Snake. Had she imagined it? She swore she’d seen someone else… 

“For a moment I thought you’d sprout wings and fly.”  He added, his tone predatory and unsettling. Venus glanced back down into the water, but only saw her wide blue eyes framed with dark circles, her face had grown thin and pale. 

“If only it were that easy.” 

“You speak as though you could escape me so easily.”  His mouth twisted up into a grin of sorts, one that made her swallow nervously. All she could think about was the madness in his expression, that his eyes could very well see straight into her head if he wanted. Jadeite was fast, and he was deadly. It appeared to amuse him.  “Your thoughts flatter me, but any of us would have told you that our communication lines have been down. You only needed to ask. Not that I think you’d believe a word any of us say. A pity because unlike them, I have never lied to you.” 

Venus pouted as he called her out, an easy thing for someone that could apparently read her mind to do. Not that she felt the need to hide her blatant lack of trust which her folded arms and narrowed eyes only emphasized.  “Why would you destroy them?” 

“Why wouldn’t we?”  He asked, scoffing as he slithered in a slow circle around her.  “Why would we leave our methods of interplanetary transportation and communication open when your Queen declared us as dead, damned, and cut us off? In any case, we would have been killed on sight, likely mistaken for one of those Dark Kingdom creatures. We wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to come here, and fall into her trap.” 

“The Senshi had communicators, we could have easily overridden those outdated frequencies and made rescue missions if only to save the royal bloodline-” 

Jadeite hissed loudly and sprung forward until his forked tongue tickled the tip of her nose. His hypnotic blue eyes fixed intensely into hers as though he tried to mesmerize her, and for a moment, or so she thought, she no longer saw green scales. For a moment, she thought she saw the faintest shimmer of a man, but Venus could not tell if it was real, or merely one of his infamous illusions. 

He stared into her soul for what felt like several minutes before he scoffed again and pulled slowly away so they were no longer nose to nose.  “Laughable, I suppose, to believe that just because you could have saved us, meant that you would. And now here you are. With us.” 

Her voice took on a desperate tone, pleading with her own honest eyes as Jadeite slowly slithered toward the top of the fountain where he’d made some kind of a nest.  “You can read my thoughts, I have very little to hide on that matter. We would have come if the leader of your armies, or your Prince, would have summoned us.” 

He stared down at her, Venus swore his eyes deepened to a cerulean hue, that his gaze poked and prodded, through her head so much that it ached. Though the lack of nutrition may have had more to do with it than his extraordinary abilities, so she told herself. 

“All I can say is what happened has happened.”  Jadeite said patiently after a moment, and for just a moment she could see regret tugging at his marble-like snake’s eyes.  “Some punishments are earned.” 

“And what did you do to-”

“I said all that I can say.”  He snapped, tongue flicking the air.  “It doesn’t matter what I’ve done, I’ll be slithering around on my stomach for the rest of my days. Fitting that I should be cast so low to the filthy ground. Consider yourself lucky that you still have your arms and legs, where in my final moments of being whatever I was before I became THIS, I bartered my extraordinary mind in exchange for mine.” 

“But, why would you choose magic over something like your arms and legs?”  She asked nervously. 

“It is not magic, Beautiful One, but a gift I had been born with that this enchantment threatened to steal from me. Telepathy, illusions, they feed into each other so that I can make you think, or feel, however I want you to. If I remembered what I looked like long ago I could trick you into believing that I am merely a man, and I suppose long ago I might have wandered the palace in such a state. Wearing my own face as a mask in arrogance and defiance of...THIS. It seemed like a good idea at the time until the others tried to tear me limb from limb where I had no real limbs. Regardless, I could still touch you with my mind if I wanted.” 

Venus shifted uneasily at the thought and tightened her arms crossed across her chest.  “Just because I am a Venusian doesn’t mean that my body and mind are open to your games. I too have been starved, and snakes are a delicacy in some cultures.” 

“Are you antagonizing me? Because I could rather easily remove those limbs for you. You smell divine but I can’t imagine your flesh would be very tasty. Though maybe it would quench my endless hunger…”  Jadeite sighed tiredly and eyed her warily, almost as if to say touché. 

“If your mind is so advanced, why don’t you appear to me as a man? Why do you not live in your own illusions to preserve your mind? Zoisite says you’re mad, you know.” 

“That, Beautiful One, would be madness.’  His mouth seemed to twist into a cunning and knowing smile. “I may not be a scholar, as Zoisite claims to be, but my brain is far superior to that Rat. Though given our talents, I suppose we’ve always been a pair to be reckoned with, but he’s always had to try so hard when I can just reach into one’s thoughts and show them what they want to see. As I said before, I tried to do that to myself… and I suppose you could say I am a little mad for it.” 

Venus made a face, scrunching her nose in distaste.  “Well, that just sounds lonely.” 

“The mind is a powerful thing, more powerful than your beauty. Though if we are speaking about true madness, well, nothing can drive a man mad like a woman’s beauty. Nothing can sway a man’s mind with more ease."  Jadeite eyed her suspiciously and eased his head down toward her until their noses almost touched.  “If anyone here is mad, it’s you.”

“Well, I don’t think you’re as mad as they say you are. Can we at least try to be friends? It will make eternity here more bearable for the two of us I think.”  Venus said, really not ready to be torn limb from limb when her previous wounds were still tender. The idea did seem to pique the Mad Snake’s interest.

“I can be plenty friendly.”  He replied, either tired or bored, she didn’t know which. Jadeite retracted slowly back into a sunny spot on the platform and coiled tightly around himself with a yawn that showed off his large venomous teeth.  “That damn Rat kept me up all night, and I am tired. Do you sing? I have not heard a song in ages and your voice is sweetened by it.”

His blue eyes closed, a pile of green scales gleaming in the Sun. If she didn’t know he was there he might have blended into the moss covered stone of the fountain he rested against. Jadeite was odd but she certainly didn’t find him to be Mad. At least no more than any creature denied warmth for nearly five centuries would be though she’d try to mask her pitying thoughts. If he heard them, he gave no indication. 

The song was in Venusian, her favorite love song to waltz to, a melody often borrowed to play at parties all across the Galaxy without the lyrics to accompany it. But she loved the words the most, and they began to reverberate against the stone and glass only to be swallowed by the humidity as they poured from her lips. Venus began to sway, daydreaming of parties she’d never enjoy again, fine dresses and wine, handsome suitors, and the laughter of her friends. She danced a solo waltz to try and stave away the sadness that tugged upon her heart with her playful imagination. 

She weaved and stepped between shadows and warm golden rays, only pausing when a door opposite of where she’d entered the Solarium caught her eye. It was lost among the ivy which had long taken over the far wall, the carved wooden surface standing out against the stone and unhealthy shades of green from the vegetation. Venus kept singing but cast a nervous glance toward the Snake to find him sleeping, and took the moment to indulge her curiosity by inspecting the hidden door. 

Admittingly the song faltered as she tried to keep an eye on the slumbering serpent and simultaneously keeping the dying vines from rustling too noisily as she moved them away from the hidden entryway. The door had been used and used frequently from what she could tell. The ivy was merely present, she supposed, to keep the intricately carved Compass out of sight. 

Warning bells chimed off in her head, throwing off her melody of course, for she remembered being warned against doors marked by Roses and Compasses. Once more she glanced nervously behind her to ensure the Beast hadn’t stirred from his slumber and grew quiet as she gazed upon the intricate details. Curious as she was, Venus had no intention of entering the door with the assumption that all she might find it would be teeth, claws, and a painful death. Yet she could not help but reach out to touch the woodwork, to trace the carved Sun and directional vectors, wondering what the symbol meant. Surely it was important enough to be carved on forbidden passageways in a labyrinth of a palace. Surely it meant something.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”  A voice bellowed out of nowhere, a large, clawed hand covered in white fur grasping her arm and yanking her toward him. Venus almost tripped on her skirts when she violently tried to flinch away to no avail. 

A loud HISSSSSSSSSSS rattled loudly in her other ear making her cover her face to muffle a terrified shriek and withdrawal in the opposite direction, afraid to face the nightmares when she knew the source of them. 

“Ssssssssssseeeeeeee? I told you…”  Jadeite hissed huskily, voice low and wispy in a manner that sent goosebumps down her arms.  “I was mad to trust your beauty… to trust you would not go where you promised you would not. Or perhaps I am just mad…”

“I wasn’t going to-”  Venus half sobbed into her hands, trying to hide her terror though her whole body was trembling. Surely Kunzite could feel it the way he grasped her arm so forcefully and shook her as he spoke.

“ENOUGH Jadeite.”  He growled and it vibrated up through her arm and made her skin crawl. The two of them could destroy her so easily, leave little traces behind that she’d ever been there to begin with. Her hands clenched tighter over her mouth, to keep herself from screaming when she felt the Snake’s tongue lap out onto her cheek before Jadeite slunk away back toward the door to inspect it. Kunzite’s voice thundered throughout the room.  “I thought you were told to stay away-” 

“I WASN’T GOING TO OPEN IT!”  Venus shouted, pulling her hands away from her face to glare at the hostile Wolf. She tried to pull her arm away from him but he only yanked her towards him, his lips pulled back from his teeth in a vicious snarl. She swore he meant to kill her this time. 

“Why should I believe you?”  He asked in his deep, growling voice as his grip tightened on her arm to the point of pain. 

“You’re hurting me!”  She struggled, panic beginning to grip her all over again. His mouth opened as though to speak, and something strange happened. 

Jadeite slithered in between them with preternatural speed, wound around his arm, and got in the Wolf’s face.  “Kunzite, she is telling the truth. I see no ill intention in her mind. You should let her go before you injure the pretty thing.”

“And why do you assume to know what I should do?”  Kunzite threatened but Venus felt his fingers grow laxer. Not enough for her to get away by any means but enough that his fingers weren’t digging into her arm with the threat of snapping the bone in half, or claws to tear her flesh to ribbons. 

The Snake clucked his tongue at him.  “Because part of you isn’t so keen on losing the rest of your soul, and I think you know that I may not forgive you for it. She amuses me. She makes the Lion FEEL, and Zoisite would never speak to you again.”  Amusement tugged on Jadeite’s tone, a knowingness that made Kunzite suddenly let go of her arm, sending her tumbling to the floor at his feet.  “And you… YOU fell in-” 

“ENOUGH.”  The Wolf retracted his hand from her abruptly, his expression going from hostile to deadly, only it was directed at the Snake.  “I told you to stay out of my head. AND YOU!”  Kunzite roared, projecting his rage onto her, halting his hostility the moment their eyes met, and something shifted, his voice softening. A terrible, clawed hand extended towards her, russet stains among the silver fur and black talons offering to help her up.  “Are you alright?” 

Venus swallowed dryly, suddenly very thirsty. Her entire body trembled, eyeing the very hand still stained with her blood. His pale eyes were hard but not hostile, surely he felt her fear, perhaps smelled it on her like the floral soaps she used in her bath that morning. Regardless she wrapped her hand around one long finger, which held as much power as one of her arms as he helped her to her feet.  “I’m fine...” 

It was forced and Kunzite knew it, curling his fingers into a fist when she quickly let go of his aiding hand and pulling it toward his side.  “What  _ exactly _ were you doing?” 

“She was helping me find a place to sleep. The nights grow cold.”  Jadeite explained.  “I was dozing to the most delightful song before you showed up.” 

“I tried to tell him there are many beds-” 

“And I tried to tell her that there is no place for us here. Not anymore.”  The Snake interrupted. Venus grew shocked to see something flicker in Kunzite’s eyes, something other than rage and hate. It was understanding. A kindred thought between himself and the Snake, a shared notion.

“A good alternative then.”  He offered, nodding his head and gazing slowly around the room as though he was seeing it for the first time. Venus was shocked that it seemed like the Wolf truly cared for the Snake and his comfort until he barked an order immediately after.  “But you must guard the door then.” 

“Always a catch.”  Jadeite whined, rolling his blue marbles for eyes, which halted and fixed upon Venus.  “I could be swayed toward a bed if you wish to keep me warm, Beautiful One.” 

“Ew! No way you gross, oversized, WORM!”  She blurted out, her stomach churning at the thought of sharing such intimate proximity with the crazed serpent. She took an outraged step away, nearly knocking straight into the imposing Wolf who, to her great disbelief, actually stifled a laugh! 

Jadeite’s eyes dazzled in the sun, forgetting about her insult entirely to fix his attention on Kunzite.  “Oh, so you’re offering to share yours then? I don’t often entertain such advances but because your fur is so warm, I accept, oh Great Commander.” 

To her fascination, the Wolf growled low and raked a great paw down his muzzle, any previous amusement wiped from his expression as soon as it came.  “Why don’t you slither into the Lion’s bed if you’re so cold?” 

“Last time I did that Nephrite almost threw me from the top of his tower.”  He grumped, causing a fit of giggles to bubble up in her throat. Both Beasts turned their attention onto her. 

“I am sorry, but you must admit it is an amusing image.” 

“Indeed.”  Kunzite agreed quietly, once more fueling her shock, her morbid fascination. Even when there was no amusement in his canine features to be found. No warmth in his eyes which tried to pierce her, or drown her. Heat rose to her cheeks, nearly forgetting their distant encounter the night before last. 

Jadeite, however, huffed and slithered back toward the stairs, breaking the intensity of their gaze with his tone. Clearly, she’d knocked him down a peg or two.  “Frankly I don’t care for your imagination, Venus. Not when you were hoping we’d be friends. I did just save you from being tossed back into the dungeon, after all.” 

“Oh.”  She startled, glancing nervously up at the Wolf. One of the thoughts he’d read from Kunzite, much to his dismay it seemed because he growled and tore his gaze away from her.  “Would you like me to get you a blanket Jadeite? A peace offering?” 

“They only get tangled around me. In case you forgot I have no HANDS.” 

Venus thought for a moment before an idea struck her, one that would no doubt get her scolded by Zoisite, but a brilliant thought nonetheless. She rushed up the stairs to the platform if only to get away from the Wolf who’d grown silent and brooding, but they both watched as she began tearing layers out of her petticoat, flashing her legs up to her thighs. She began tying them together at the waistband where she’d torn them until they looked like a ragged sort of undergarment. 

“Here, put your head through the waistband.” 

Jadeite shot a glance down at Kunzite who stood there staring in shock on the main floor before he complied. She smiled, settling the skirts around the rest of his body until they draped over his many coils like a long cape, leaving his head uncovered. She wanted to laugh at the sight, but his blue eyes positively glittered. 

“It’s… warm!”  His tongue lapped out gleefully, and he pressed his head into her palm when Venus very carefully caressed the smooth scales.  “It’s perfect, and they smell like the summer’s sun...I don’t know how to thank you.” 

“Sleep well.”  She offered, giggling softly when he nestled into the tulle and silk to sleep. The Sun was fainter now, the shadows sprawling long across the Solarium floor. She’d have to meet Nephrite for dinner soon. 

“Will you come and sing for me again?”  The Snake asked groggily. 

“Yes. If you want me to.” 

“Tomorrow.”  He demanded, half asleep already. Venus chuckled to herself and turned to address the Wolf, only to find that he’d already slunk silently from the room.

Her face fell. She’d seen something in him that she’d never expected before, despite his secret intentions to lock her away again, and she thought he probably would do so the first chance he got. Venus grew smug, knowing how she’d won Jadeite over, that maybe between the three of them that they could protect her from his viciousness. Some small part of her hoped that Kunzite would warm up to her, though she could only gather that the Wolf was anything but warm to the notion. 

She’d retraced her steps, still humming the Venusian tune from earlier, her step light as she traipsed through the candlelit halls until the soft rhythmic ticking of the clock grew closer and closer. She was starved, ready to devour her meal of bland fruit and water, and she’d do so gratefully tonight. 

“AGAIN!?”  Zoisite shrieked from down the hall, scurrying toward Venus in her very deflated skirt and without a corset or overcoat to tuck her body in. She wasn’t sure why he’d bothered since she’d become so thin, so underfed. 

Her eyes took on an innocent, glassy quality, pleading for the Rat’s mercy. She couldn’t bear another lecture about fashion.  “Jadeite was cold, I made him something of a blanket to help him sleep.” 

  
The rat’s features lost their expression, deadpanned with irritation.  “Let him freeze.”


	9. The Rabbit

Her day was spent wandering the wing of the palace she was staying in, drifting aimlessly room to room like a ghost in search of her lover. Except love was the furthest thing from her mind as she rooted through the bedrooms and belongings of those who lived there before their untimely demise, looking for clues of what had happened to them. Some hint that might lead her back to Serenitatis. 

Zoisite joined her for some of her amblings, and Nephrite had accompanied her for a time as well though it had clearly been more of a security measure to make sure that she didn’t stumble into one of those forbidden nooks and crannies they were all so concerned about. She noticed how tense it made the Lion as they passed a set of beautiful doors, polished and carved with roses and thorns, so Venus pretended not to see them. The search was fruitless really, and the Beasts did their jobs well to ensure that her day was anything but productive, as welcome as their company had been. It made her think perhaps they were keeping secrets about things that would allow her to return to Serenitatis on purpose, and it only piqued her curiosity even more.

“I’m famished.” She groaned when they finally retired to the same sitting room as the strange clock again, ticking its chaotic rhythm in time with the crackle of the fire. Venus flopped tiredly on the plush cushions of the sofa in a pile of silken skirts and plucked a blackberry from the plate meant for her with a great sigh.  “Are there any games you know? A lake to swim in perhaps? Surely there is more to do than drift through the halls like some lost and aimless spirit.” 

“Hm?”  Nephrite replied distantly as though he were lost in some sort of fog. It was eerie the way he stared blankly at the clock, watching the hands tick backwards erratically. Though his mane was now immaculate, soft luxurious waves of chestnut almost precisely how she remembered.  “Oh, I suppose I could search the palace for cards, perhaps chess…” 

“I never was particularly good at chess.”  Venus scrunched her nose and ate another blackberry, purposefully avoiding looking at the dreadful moondial on the clock. It mocked her helplessness with that wide and knowing creepy grin.  “I suppose I have time to learn now, dare I say I could make Mars think twice next time she tries to gamble against me, and Mercury would be shocked if I managed to beat her when I ….”

She trailed off, exchanging a mournful look with Nephrite before she stood to pull back the curtains, peering out into the darkening landscape beyond. From there, she could see an elegant view of the sea, the skeletal remains, the blackened outline of the once proud city of Elysium. Chances of her ever seeing the Lunar palace again were as evanescent as the dipping Sun.  “Much has changed since your arrival. You’ve brought hope with you when we’ve long lost ours, but we’d be fools to think that Queen Beryl hadn’t planned for this. We should stay on our guard.” 

Venus chuckled and turned on her heel to peer back at Nephrite who watched her from his large armchair by the fire, a regal monster, she decided.  “Zoisite said that, didn’t he?” 

“Er… yes.”  His reply came sheepishly, but Venus’s smile widened. He did look more dignified with his mane combed and a fine frock coat of rich maroon, even his eyes seemed to smile. His guise was clearly that of a Lion but she couldn’t help but think that he looked a little bit more human, more like himself.  “I only meant that we’ll figure this all out. Zoisite and Jadeite are the schemers, more so Zoisite, but I will do what it takes to-”

“To break whatever hold this palace has over you, binding you to it.”  They shared a quiet moment. A knowing one. Venus hadn’t meant to call him out, but she knew beyond a doubt that his goals had little to do with getting her back where she belonged.  “I take no offense. I understand your wish to be free, and in doing so I hope to find the answers I need as well.” 

The doors to the sitting room opened, replacing the awkward silence with something mingling between shock and terror as Kunzite stalked into the room toward her. From the corner of her eye, Nephrite sat up straight dumbfounded with his snout hanging open in shock, the words dying in her throat when a bloody rabbit fell at her feet with a sickening wet flop from the Wolf’s jaws. 

He stood on his hind legs, towering over her to stare down into her wide, terror struck eyes expectantly.  “Your dinner.” 

“I….I..”  Truly she had no words. Afraid to look into his eyes any longer and even more horrified to look down at the poor mangled creature at her feet. Blood seeped between his teeth and stained the fur around his mouth. He looked wild, unhinged.

“What?” He asked as though he didn’t realize how crazed and vicious he looked. Perhaps he didn’t. “Jadeite swallowed his whole. You’re growing thin, and I thought you’d prefer a more satisfying meal than berries and apples.” 

Nephrite began to laugh behind her, starting as a purring chuckle and turning into a very pleased roar.  “You have to cook that if she’s going to eat it.”  He spat through peels of laughter that left Kunzite looking more annoyed than he already seemed.  “She’s no animal you fool.” 

“Fine. You insist on providing for her, YOU cook it then.”  Kunzite retorted, and Venus swore she saw the hint of amusement sparkle in his sharp grey eyes. It stopped Nephrite’s laughter almost immediately.  “Oh yes, you never could cook to save your life.”

“I do appreciate the sentiment…”  Venus interjected meekly, taking a retreating step from the blood pooling on the hardwood floor.  “But-” 

“You used to cook for us often.”  Zoisite offered, seemingly from nowhere, but when she looked he was crawling up onto the sofa in front of the fire. Likely to finish the berries she’d left on the golden plate.  “You could do it.” 

She heard Kunzite growl softly in front of her and felt bad. It was a kind offering, something she hadn’t thought him capable of, and above all Venus was shocked that he’d noticed how gaunt, how thin she’d grown. She was absolutely ravenous from the idea of a proper meal, not that she’d ever prepared a single dish in her life, but Jupiter had made it look so easy.  “If you show me what to do, I’ll do it.” 

The room seemed to freeze. They all fixed their eyes upon her as though she too had sprouted fur and claws.  “You’re wasting your hopes on him.”  Nephrite said calmly once the amusement of it all ran dry. Somehow, Venus felt hurt by this notion and fixed her attention to Kunzite who continued to peer down at her. He was unreadable.  “Venus, let’s-”

“I’m alone during the day mostly.”  She interrupted, not backing down no matter how badly Kunzite winced away as though he’d been bitten every time she looked at him. But her voice had softened without granting him the mercy of her eyes, and Venus spoke to him the way one speaks to a wild creature, soft and with care.  “I’d enjoy the company, something else to do rather than lounge all evening.” 

“If you’d like.”  The Wolf belatedly replied. She hadn’t looked away, trying to see beyond the horror of him as she had with Nephrite. Perhaps she could find it, or perhaps he would lure her away and sink his teeth into her neck as he had the white stag the night prior. 

“It would be a shame to let it go to waste. You did go through the trouble to catch it after all.”  Her stomach growled with perfect timing, her face growing warm.  “I suppose I am still hungry.” 

“Follow me.”  He ordered, a calm within the cold tones of his voice. Kunzite bent to pick up the mangled rabbit in his claws and without waiting for her, left the way he came. 

“Goodnight, Nephrite.”  Venus bid with an apologetic smile.  “Thank you.” 

“Goodnight.”  He replied, nodding his understanding, but not without concern tensing his expression.  “I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“Are you coming?”  The Wolf growled from down the hall, his voice raspy and hushed still echoing against the stone. Venus nodded nervously and lifted her skirts to scramble after him, leaving the warm comfort and safety of the sitting room to follow. 

He led her through chilled hallways where the darkness that began to descend over the stone fortress grew thick and foreboding. She hadn’t seen these halls, but like the others, the candles lit as they walked, the metal sconces appearing to bend and guide them like gold braided arms as they passed. Venus swallowed and jogged a few steps to keep up, not daring to walk beside him, only just behind at his elbow opposite where he carried the dead rabbit like a child’s ragdoll. 

“I was only trying to bring my Princess home, you know. No harm was meant in our trespass.”  She didn’t know why she tried to explain this to him, he didn’t deign to speak, only walked his slightly hunched gait with his ears perked forward as though he hadn’t heard her.  “Do you really have nothing to say after what you did to me? I was protecting someone I love and you could have killed me!”

“You shouldn’t have been here!”  He growled, whipping around until the leather of his nose nearly brushed her own. The wild grey of his eyes could have burned her, and yet she stood her ground, forcing the Beast to tear his eyes away from hers as though he couldn’t bear it. As though her stare burned him.

“As I said… my trespass was a matter of duty.” 

“Nevermind… what’s done is done.”  He mumbled, pulling his cloak around him as he turned to walk further down the hall.  “Had I meant to kill you, you would be dead.”

“No, you just meant to imprison me, torture me-” 

“Are you quite finished?” 

“Not until you stop treating me like a child. I’ve fought wars you know. For hundreds of years, I have fought what Terran men could not.” 

Anger rolled off of him in tangible waves and yet instead of filling the hall with his destructive rage, the Beast imposed upon her an icy calm.  “Perhaps that is why they haunt the Monsters here with their extinction.”

“And see fit to haunt Serenitatis with their failures.”  She bit, standing firm but bracing herself for his fit of rage when he halted in his tracks, but it didn’t come. 

“Do not speak to me of failures. No one came to save them, so leave our ghosts to their restless slumbers and do not speak of it again.”  He snarled the order in a way that sent shivers down her spine, issuing an icy glance that spoke more to her than his vague and mournful words. So many arguments boiled inside of her, questions dying behind her teeth before they could be spoken. The Wolf’s voice grew softer as he continued through a simpler, more narrow hallway lined by wooden paneling, seemingly untouched by his ruthless claws.  “The kitchen is this way.”

She had the mind to keep her distance, lingering to appreciate paintings still hanging, generic scenes of towns and landscapes that appeared so provincial in comparison to her memories of sprawling cities brought to ruin among the stars, but beautiful all the same. Her eyes trailed from a painted skyline to Kunzite’s back as his paw pressed against the modest wooden door.  “Do you really remember how to cook?”

He sighed tiredly and the door swung open, swishing his tail aside to allow her to pass.  “I suppose we will see.” 

* * *

He froze. Eyes widened in disbelieving shock as he entered the kitchen for the first time in hundreds of years to find it clean, stocked, and fully prepared as though the room itself was expecting them. Upon entry, a great fire blazed to life in the old oven and he felt Venus brush beside him in passing when she entered the room with as much puzzlement on her pretty face as he felt churning through his mind. She turned with a shift of her shoe, tossing golden waves of sunshine over her shoulder to appraise his rigid posture with wide bluebell eyes leaving Kunzite without the shadows to hide behind. 

“This must be a miracle! It’s wonderful!”  Venus appraised, rushing forward to brush such delicate fingers against bags of flour and yeast, her smile broadening with the discovery of freshly chopped spices and herbs, each new item bringing brighter joy to her smile. And hunger to those wide, glittering eyes.

“Not a miracle. The castle knows the desires of its inhabitants. It appears that you are no exception.” 

This paused the girl a moment, and as always when she looked at him, there was hesitation. How he wished she wouldn’t look at him, not as one gazes upon a caged animal. Not the way that she saw him.  “So why does it remain in such disrepair? Why are you not kingly and covered in jewels with all of the treasure that Nephrite has piled in the rooms upstairs? I have seen nothing more than broken mirrors and empty walls and yet the statues move and paintings watch me, doors open as if to guide me through the halls. Yet the palace did not lead me here when I was starving. What is the meaning of it?” 

“So many questions,”  He groaned breathily,  “Nothing that we desire is a thing the palace can deliver us. It will lead you where you are meant to go.”  His mouth tensed and Kunzite had to look away. Such fire in her eyes he thought she might singe his fur with them. It was a wicked trick, he thought, that the palace would not lead her where she might eat something. Her soft curves had sharpened into gauntness, her cheeks hollow, and skin pale, but she had not lost her beauty. It had merely changed, adjusted to starvation thanks to the neglect of his less than hospitable comrades, and she wore it gorgeously. Still, he told himself that she cared about nothing but her own desires, and that this was his punishment for his uncontrollable rage.  “Let’s begin, or we’ll be here all night.” 

Venus nodded, joining him at an empty table, wincing beside him as the fresh kill flopped messily against the surface. He’d primed his claws, ready to tear the skin from the rabbit without mercy the way he’d done so many times before for his own feasting, but her hand flew out and halted him with a firm grasp on his hand that startled him. 

“No!”  She withdrew just as quickly, taking a small step away to select a carving knife from a nearby block. She glanced up at him warily.  “These are a delicacy on the Moon… rare and not often eaten. The Princess hates to see them killed, but food supplies had gotten low… this must be done with care.” 

Kunzite kept his eyes hard on the knife poised in her hand, knowing her unassuming strength he wouldn’t have put it past her to make a move to use the small blade in a desperate ploy for her freedom, but he found himself nodding despite himself, wondering about her prowess with a weapon.  “So you’ve done this before?”

“No, but I have seen it done.”  Venus replied, though she didn’t dare look at him. Perhaps she knew that the hunger gleaming in his eyes in that moment was all consuming and that he fought to keep the saliva from dripping between his teeth. 

She bit the plush petal of her lower lip and stared down at the bloodied creature in front of her in contemplation, so he gestured with his claw to the base of the rabbit’s broken neck.  “Cut there.” 

“Yes, I know…I’m getting there.”  She exhaled heavily through her lips and daintily pulled the skin up at the neck, priming the blade with acute precision to make the first cut. 

Never before had he been so captivated by anything in his life, transfixed as her slender fingers slipped into the incision made in the creature’s fur, hooking beneath the skin to tear away the exterior, revealing the juicy pink nakedness beneath. She did this with such careful and caressing fingers as though priming a lover to be devoured instead. He found himself unable to look away.

“Are you alright?”  Venus asked after a few moments of quiet that he hadn’t registered, his tongue slowly grazing along the front of his razored teeth. Surely his eyes had glassed over, the urge to snatch the fresh meat from the table and swallow it whole nearly consuming every fiber of his being. 

“Yes, fine. The head now, and the feet.”  He spoke with a deceptive calm, tearing his sight away from the stripped down morsel only to be met with the wrenching sight of her beautiful face. There never was a more beautiful thing, of that he was convinced, but he’d set out not to be bought by it. His soul was damned enough as it was, and he’d rather die than fall under this Goddess’s spell. Her blue eyes flickered to his for the briefest of seconds, and she primed the knife for the rabbit’s head. Kunzite hesitated, hand lifting slightly toward hers to guide her, but recoiled before he could touch her.  “Lower, just there.” 

A loud chop echoed in his ears and the head rolled silently. Four more lucky chops of rabbit’s feet and the creature was nearly ready. The fur came free and Venus caressed the smooth skin of the poor creature, shockingly unaffected by the gore of it. Was she truly the warrior she’d claimed to be? Surely not this fragile thing of delicate and graceful limbs, the embodiment of beauty itself. 

“You’re a very flighty instructor.”  She teased, this time fully meeting his eyes up through her lashes, and they grew wide and seemingly lost. Not akin to the look in this rabbit’s eyes before he’d killed it but a flicker of something more in her dancing blue stare that was unnerving and understanding.  “So, what’s next?” 

Kunzite had to think and think hard, far back into the lost recesses of his mind to remember what it meant to not ravage and tear this meal limb from limb, regardless of how small of an indulgence it was for a creature of his size. He stared hard at her a moment, perhaps too eagerly explaining her next step.  “You must gut it quickly, but with care.” 

“I was afraid you might say that.”  She whispered, swallowing as though she’d been deprived of water for days. Her brows knitted, providing him some relief by tearing her oppressive stare away to concentrate on her task. The surgical manner of it, such refinery in her delicate hands as they very cautiously sliced through meat and bone, her nose scrunching in distaste while the pungent odor filled the kitchen nearly overpowering her sweet sweet scent of honeysuckle. For him it was the scent of the hunt, and something about the mixture of the two caused his fur to stand on edge.  “I almost regret asking this of you. I think this is punishment enough for whatever you find me guilty of.” 

“Enough of that. You’re doing fine.” Kunzite urged hungrily, licking his chops while he studiously watched as she spilled the innards of the creature upon the chopping block with grace and care not to rupture any organs. Her face twisted in a mask of pure disgust, but as she removed the heart, what love she carried in her hands as though it were sacred when she set it aside, separating it away from the rest of the mess. His own mouth had grown as dry as the gardens, and he found himself with a fixed gaze walking her through the rest of the steps, including preparing the heart for eating. 

“So, you used to be a cook?”  She asked, wiping her hands on a towel, her eyes searching the many spices and herbs freshly cut and waiting for selection. 

“No. I wasn’t a cook.”  Kunzite issued that icy stare of his while she prattled on, making a mess of the kitchen by lugging potatoes, onions, and carrots out of sacks and onto the cutting board. Something about it jarred his memory, something long ago from boyhood, or perhaps something motherly and longing. Something warm. 

“I have a dear friend, a Jovian, who can create the most delicious meals from mere scraps. She makes it look easy.”  Sadness glazed over her eyes and she paused for a moment before shaking it off, giving him whiplash with her ever changing moods.  “She’s tried to teach me so many times but I’m told I’m a lost cause. I almost poisoned Mars on her birthday with a- ” 

He stared blankly as she rambled, some useless story to what he felt his purpose was in learning about the crystal, learning about how he could...  “I think you should focus on the task.” 

Nails bit into his palms as he clenched his fists to maintain his calm, interrupting her story mid sentence which certainly did not please her. Venus huffed a breath, chest rising and falling forcefully against the restraint of a lightweight blouse with large sleeves.  “Maybe it’s you who should focus. Would it kill you to indulge in some conversation that doesn’t involve demanding things of others?” 

Kunzite’s jaw snapped shut, glowering and pondering how he could urge her to continue this absurd cooking lesson without demanding it of her. It had been longer than he could remember since he’d properly spoken to anyone.  “If you please… the meat will spoil if we don’t continue.” 

“Was that so hard?”  Venus pressed, causing his blood to race with frustration, even minute fascination. The smallest of smirks tugged at her lips, satisfied to have tamed him for the moment which did nothing for his mounting temper. And then she began to hum, plucking a smaller knife from the block to cut and peel some potatoes. 

His lips parted to speak again but the melody grabbed him. Her voice, like everything about her, was enough to hold him captive, send him swooning, and for the briefest of moments he was willing to concede that it wouldn’t be hard to fall in love with the ethereal being, even without her magical wiles. No wonder this voice was all Jadeite seemed to want to talk about. Kunzite shivered, shaking himself from her spell to advise her next steps as calmly as he could muster. Peeling, washing, chopping.  “You take instruction well.” 

Venus giggled, a bell like sound that halted her melodic lilting to peek up at him over her shoulder.  “Did you ever doubt that I was a soldier? Not that I’ve always been the best at following orders.” 

He appraised her for a moment, trying to decide, only tearing his gaze away when she lifted her eyes to try and capture his.  “I’ll admit it’s not what I see when I look at you, however, it’s a fact that doesn’t surprise me.” 

“Well,”  She began, dumping handfuls of vegetables into a pot with pride,  “beauty can be as deceiving as any other appearance. I’m not as fragile of a flower as you thought.” 

Kunzite swallowed a growing lump in his throat, avoiding her pointed stare and somewhat inappropriate smirk. It’s true when he’d encountered her in the garden that first night, he thought that he had stumbled upon an easy target, an easy source of information. He hadn’t expected Venus’s admittingly powerful defense, or that he’d be defeated by it. Frowning, he dared to glance down at her but she was busy working oil and herbs into the meat of the rabbit, filling the room with a savory scent. 

“Deception is all around you if you choose to see it.”  He muttered the words before he’d meant to speak them, entranced by the deft motions of her fingers as they massaged the flavoring into the rabbit’s flesh. Hearing him, she paused the motion when he wondered if she’d actually heard him, lifting her gaze to meet his in a jarring motion. 

“You mean if I chose to see you?” 

“No.”  He spoke, tearing his sight from her with a grimace. Her gaze lingered for too long and Kunzite longed to slink into some shadow that did not exist. He longed for her NOT to see him. Not like this. Not after what he’d done. The moment seemed to pass, and Venus lifted the primed rabbit into the pot on top of the vegetables. 

“I think I’m ready.”  Venus announced, causing him to whip around only to fall short of his expectations when he realized she spoke about the meal. It was getting later, so he reached across her without a word and lifted the heavy cast iron container with ease into his monstrous, clawed hand. She watched the motion, tense and on guard, only relaxing when he moved behind her to set the prepared meal over the fire.  “Did I say something wrong?” 

“You said nothing of consequence.”  He muttered, staring blankly into the fire to suppress the rage beginning to simmer in his stomach. Vanity was a flag Venusians wore without shame from what he remembered, so enthralled with beauty itself that anything less was merely an afterthought to be discarded. It helped nothing to soothe the unexpected anger when he felt her eyes upon him. 

“Well, it will be a long time to wait if we merely sit in silence. Glaring at the fire won’t make it cook our meal any quicker.” 

“Are you truly so content to fill the silence with meaningless chatter?”  Kunzite growled, peering to the side at her with his eyes while she began the task of cleaning. Always talking, always moving, it unnerved him.

“I’m so sorry you feel that speaking to me is such a menial task.” 

He growled again. “Are you so bored here?” 

Venus sighed, pausing her task of wiping down the cutting board, eyes cast downward at the lingering gore. Though her lips tensed into a forlorn frown, the blushing petals always appeared to be fixed in an alluring smirk.  “I’m often alone during the day. The days are quite long and surely you understand now that I didn’t mean to become imprisoned here. I miss the company of my friends, my Princess...I miss training...some days I even miss the fight.” 

Kunzite sighed through his nose and turned his gaze back to the fire, trying to seek comfort in the warm scent of roasting vegetables and meat mingling with rosemary. He was sorry he even asked.  “Your prison is fitting then. We all long for things that are now out of our grasp.” 

“You speak as though I’ll never make my way home…You always sound like there is no hope.”  Her voice was distant and sad, perhaps defeated by his words and for the briefest of moments, he thought he was sorry, but he kept his silence with a clenched jaw.  “What is it that you miss?” 

She took a few steps forward, fingers entwined at her stomach and eyes wide in a shade of blue he could drown in if he wasn’t careful. The normalcy of this, cooking a meal and speaking intimately with anyone was alien to him now, uncomfortable. Civilized. 

“As I said. Out of my grasp.” 

His tone was much colder than he anticipated, fitting for how he felt, but no less intimidating even to his own ears. A distant silence fell between them, and she began humming again, moving around the kitchen with the grace of a dancer while she cleaned and restored it as though they’d never been there. Kunzite sat back on his haunches, the warmth of the fire seeping into thick white fur while he became drunk on the comforting scent of the cooking meat that filled the room, thick with old memories that wanted to reach him. It furrowed his brows, and something tugged at his conscience, grey eyes drifting shut to the sound of the crackling flame and her haunting song. Four men… laughter… dark hair…gleaming blue eyes...

“I think it’s done.” 

Her voice was light, calming, like a balm to his racing heart that made his eyes drift open, he hadn’t realized that he’d dozed off. Venus stood off to the side of him, head tilted so she could see him better. Kunzite growled and recoiled, standing to his hind legs again which made her flinch away with a flash of fear. She was right based on the way the food smelled and overwhelmed his senses, making his mouth water and forget her intrusion on his surfacing memories. 

“So it is.”  He muttered, reaching without care to pull the cast iron pot from the fire. Her stomach rumbled, and Venus laughed nervously, springing forward toward the cupboard to pull plates and gather silver. 

“Sit.”  She ordered plainly, a playful smile spreading to her lips as though she knew she’d receive the icy glare that he shot her way.  “I didn’t mean it that way. Join me?” 

Kunzite sighed, and with less grace than he was comfortable with sat in one of the chairs. Again, she hummed and practically danced while she filled a hearty plate of succulent rabbit meat and rosemary flavored potatoes for him, sliding the meal across the wooden surface. Immediately his mouth began to water, and he licked his chops in preparation to merely devour the steaming plate in front of him. How long had it been since he’d had a cooked meal? 

A fork scraped along the surface of the table when Venus slid it toward him with a click of her tongue, a certain knowingness gleaming in her eyes. Pronged and silver, the fork was a foreign object to him now and yet he grasped it in his oversized hand, not seeing the look of amusement, or perhaps endearment, lifting the corner of her lips as she took the seat adjacent to him. Venus propped the fork in her own delicate and graceful fingers and he met the encouraging look in her eye with a hard swallow. It seemed that she was out to teach him something in exchange. 

The motions to poise the small silver instrument in his much larger hand was cumbersome where her dainty hands fit the fork so effortlessly. He tried, with the softest of growls, to grip the thing to take a proper bite, which proved even more difficult with his otherwise proud mouthful of deadly fangs. Kunzite managed, with no shortage of frustration which seemed to melt away when he watched her gorge herself on the first bite. Even Venus appeared a bit ravenous, clearly trying, and failing, to maintain any modicum of propriety herself. 

To him, it was the most delicious meal he could ever remember having. The juiciness of the rabbit mingling with warm roasted vegetables making him strain much harder to not let instinct carry him away into savagery. She laughed then, mouth full of food she raised her hand to hide her lips while she giggled. Rage filled him, thinking she was making fun of his laborious attempts with a fork, but she only seemed to find more amusement when his fist hit the table with more force than he intended.  “Something funny?” 

“It’s terrible!”  Venus managed, finally able to swallow the bite she’d been chewing. His eyes widened in minute shock, confused as laughter consumed her and she clutched her stomach with joy.  “The meat is overseasoned! The potatoes are palatable yet the carrots are mush!” 

He quizzically glanced between her and his plate while she attempted to stifle her joy, and continued shoveling the apparent abomination into her mouth.  “If you find it so terrible..” 

“This is the first real meal I’ve had in days. Terrible or not, I’m going to enjoy your generous gift.”  She said between giggles, eyeing him mischievously a moment and taking a larger than normal bite until her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk. He felt the corner of his mouth lift in a moment of shared mischief perhaps and he set the fork down to devour his plate until not a spot of gravy was left.  “I'm glad you enjoyed it at least.” 

“My palette is not as refined as it once was I suppose.”  Kunzite admitted, trying not to fall under the graces of her beauty as the rest of them had, but he found that it was far more difficult than he imagined. All curved but soft lines and lithe grace, unflawed milky skin and radiant gold with a touch of blue skies that pierced with all they have seen. Even then, he could smell the sunshine radiate off of her like lazy summer days in orange groves lined with thick honeysuckle and it was hard to feel worthy of sitting at this table with her. A Goddess fallen from the stars for a purpose he wasn’t privy, and yet he had the urge to bring her a hundred rabbits just to bring the plumpness back into her face. Certainly, her purpose was not to dine on a meal of ill prepared rabbit at a small wooden table with a creature only fit for nightmares. A creature like himself. 

“No… I don’t suppose feasting on wild stag and other wildlife would serve your tastes well after so long.”  Her voice was nearly a whisper, the soft tones making his stomach clench in memory of that night that he spied her naked form in the window, gazing out over a foggy moor to catch him in the hunt of a creature nearly pale as her perfect flesh. What a monster she must have seen, like she hadn’t already seen him at his worst.

“You weren’t supposed to see that.”  Kunzite grimaced and went to stand, ready to run wild through the forests and shout his mourning curses at the Moon. The anguish of that memory was almost too much for him to bear. 

“I didn’t tell you about the Silver Crystal… because it cannot help you.”  Venus offered in that same, sad whisper that stopped in him the threshold of the room.  “It is only a matter of time before the Moon is cast in shadow, never to grace your skies again with the light that makes you cry. We are no better than your people, we never were, and I cannot speak for all of them but I am sorry you were treated that way. I’m afraid that time is running out for us all.” 

“Why tell me this.”  Kunzite growled coldly from the entrance, claws digging and splintering the wood of the doorframe with the anger he suppressed. No telling who or what he was angry at. Her? Queen Serenity? The Silver Crystal? Himself?

“Because Queen Serenity is dying, and I am not there to lend my strength to her successor in order for her to defeat Metalia. Whatever secrets I know will do you no good unless I can get home.” 

His lips tensed over his teeth, and he peered over one shoulder back toward the girl still perched at the table with paled and worn grey eyes.  “Then truly it is hopeless.”

“It is only hopeless if you believe it is hopeless.” 

Kunzite turned, shifting on the pad of his paw to fully face her, keeping his hideous muzzle to the shadows.  “Tell me. After everything that has befallen you here, do you still have hope that you can save them?”

A very warm smile shifted her lips just slightly but gleamed brilliantly in her eyes.  “I have to… if you’ll let me try.”  Kunzite growled low before he meant to at the thought of letting her leave, though the line of his motives became more and more blurred the longer he had to withstand the wrath of her presence. He didn’t reply, but as he turned to leave, to sing his frustrations to the stars while Nephrite sat in his tower to speak to them, her voice halted him only for a moment.  “And Kunzite… thank you for tonight.” 

His insides twisted themselves into knots when she spoke his name like the most heavenly of songs and he lurched forward, stalking down the hall to find his freedom when even he began to wonder if the Goddess left at a Beast’s table could possibly be their salvation. 


	10. Only the Roses Will Tell

Dawn broke through a thin break in the curtains casting a single bar of light just across her face. For once, she didn’t wake up hungry but relaxed and warm. She didn’t remember the last time she’d slept so soundly with no nightmares of red witches, black claws, or burning grey eyes and vicious teeth. Not even the incessant groaning of the castle as it crumbled and settled kept her awake. She contemplated spending her day lounging in the plush comfort of the bed, and might have if the Sun hadn’t been peeking its way out of the gloom. Funny how much a full stomach could uplift her spirits, she thought as she stretched her arms above her head and threw back the covers to rise for the day.

The morning was early enough that even Zoisite hadn’t made his grand entrance to scold her out of bed and stuff her into whatever fine fashion that he deemed appropriate for her to wear. She decided to seize the momentary freedom and ventured down toward the kitchen to test the Castle’s magic for breakfast now that she vaguely remembered where it was. As usual, candles sparked to life at her approach, statues, and coats of arms all craned their heads to watch her with unseeing eyes despite the heavy sensation of being watched tangible against her back. 

Drafty gusts of air sent chills down her spine as though the castle was indeed alive and breathing down her neck. Venus felt foolish for feeling so self-conscious about the immodestly thin nightdress that equally clung and floated around her body with each step like she was being judged or assessed, but surely that was absurd. She shook it off, walking faster through the shadowy corridors until she reached the kitchen. The room was warm, a fire already lit in the stove where coffee had perked and the scent of savory dishes wafted through the air, elating her with the spread left out for her enjoyment. 

“What are you doing!?” The familiar voice rasped behind her, making her nearly choke on a bite of porridge that she’d been savagely shoveling into her mouth. “And what is all this?”

“Isn’t it wonderful?” Venus exclaimed over a full mouth, turning to face the dumbstruck Rat standing gape-mouthed by the door. Disbelief widened his eyes as he stepped further into the room. 

“So it is true…” 

“Yes! We discovered it last night.” She grinned, a bit guiltily by the way Zoisite eyed her meal. “I don’t know what magic this is, but I had to make sure that it was real!” 

“Well,” Zoisite began, stepping in further toward the fire to warm his paws, the magic’s appeal seeming to fade from his eyes. “You could have at least dressed you know. Instead of running around the palace in such a manner.” 

Amusement quirked her lips, abandoning half of her breakfast to join him by the fire. “Well, how about you finish my porridge and I will pack us all a nice lunch. You can gather Nephrite and join me in the garden this afternoon for lunch.” 

Naturally, his interest piqued with the promise of a proper meal, though he blatantly tried not to look at her given the thin nature of her nightdress. “I suppose that will do, but at least put on a proper dress. I’d rather you not waste my good efforts in selecting proper attire for you so you don’t have to run around in such a state.”

“Will you be up to help me?” 

“Not today,” Zoisite replied almost regrettably, but not so much as he became distracted with the meal she offered him, climbing on the tabletop to gorge himself on her scraps. “But as you desire I’ll gather Nephrite and join you all in the gardens a few hours from now. I am… working on something.” 

“Anything you care to reveal?”

Pausing, he looked up with small clumps of porridge clinging to his tiny whiskers. It was hard to take his biting tone seriously. “To you? No.” 

Venus laughed, rolling her eyes to flitter about the kitchen, gathering items appropriate for a light lunch. Bread, cheeses, wine, some salted meats, even some sweets, and fine chocolates. A basket was left waiting on a shelf as though the palace knew her intentions and it was then that ideas began circling through her head about how far she could test the limits of the castle's magic. 

Like most mornings she found herself alone, but not without the extravagant display of another fine dress courtesy of Zoisite. This time there was a gorgeous pearl necklace to accompany the garment that looked like it could have been worth more than most King’s fortunes with the accents of topaz. As before, there was a simple card beside the box containing the jewels with a finely scrolled ‘N.’ It brought an excited flush to her cheeks to be given such extravagant gifts, though she thought it was a shame there would be no one to see them.

They’d chosen a lighter look for her today, though light was certainly not how she’d describe the mountains of fabric that made up the mustard yellow skirt and airy but complex white blouse with its ruffles and sleeves. Her hair was a lost cause for her to do herself, so Venus simply brushed the golden waves and pulled half of it back with a pearl clip to match the necklace. She’d grown used to this strange and cumbersome fashion, even came to appreciate the dramatic silhouette and the way it contoured to her curves while imposing a stifling sense of modesty. 

According to the ornate clock on her mantle, the day was still young. Venus pulled her prized red cloak around her shoulders and stopped by the kitchen to gather the heavy picnic basket that she had prepared that morning. She thought she’d head out into the gardens early to set up for lunch and maybe take a stroll before the sun would begin to set and the grounds became forbidden. 

Despite the desolate state of the garden’s decay, each breath of cool air was fresh with the scent of dried leaves and Autumn rain though the harvest was a few months away, and she only knew this because the bountiful season was always close to her own birthday. Statues crowded these gardens, better seen without the lush Eden that used to grow here, now merely a husk of what it once was, and as she walked that feeling of being watched followed her even outside of the oppressing castle. Perhaps the empty stone eyes of the carved masterpieces that seemed to follow her

Hedge animals were now skeletal remnants of their former whimsy, and the further she went the more animated the marble statues appeared to become. There were shuffles of movement all around her and Venus felt her head swim as though reality itself appeared to bend around her. She paused to listen, turning back to peer behind her only to find that every statue had turned its head unnaturally in her direction.

Frozen in fear, her eyes darted around the small courtyard strewn with pale carvings, not unlike a cemetery, only here the eyes of the dead were all fixed on her. There was but a breath of a breeze, and yet the hedge animals seemed to whisper and sway toward her almost intelligently. She managed a steadying breath and turned on her heel to move with more haste, beginning to think that perhaps a picnic was a bad idea. 

More and more she began to swoon, a dream-like quality making it all swim in her mind, blurring the reality around her until even the windows of the palace, not so distant in the background, appeared to have eyes, and even though she hurried forward it seemed as though the statues had begun to follow her. 

“Jadeite, this isn’t funny.” She tried to keep a commanding tone about her voice, trying to stay steady. 

“Do not fear, pretty one, I’ll help get you home if you tell me… tell me the power your Queen holds and I’ll keep you safe in exchange for your song.” 

Shuffling sounds behind her had her spinning, turning to find the source of the voice that appeared to have none. Only present in her own mind. “If I am so safe, why don’t you show yourself? Perhaps this conversation would be easier.” 

Her throat had grown tight and the air became harder to pull into her lungs, eyes darting all around to assess the danger while her chest tightly constricted. The statues seemed to move fluidly now, moving slowly but surely toward her with no easily detected intention on their carved faces, vines began to move around her like a den of snakes, and the hedges moved erratically like puppets on strings. 

He emerged from behind a crumbling wall of stone as if he’d been there the whole time. Unlike the cumbersome movements of Nephrite and Kunzite, the Snake moved as though he were made of water. Fast and fluid, almost graceful. His scales were varying shades of green like chips of jade and emerald glinting in the faintest of light, yet his eyes nearly glowed a vibrant cobalt blue. They were fixed on her with something more than hunger, something alluring that she couldn’t look away from. Entranced, her body relaxed, and the blanket and basket she held toppled to the ground, thankfully without spilling.

“There is nothing to tell you because there is nothing left.” She heard herself saying without permission, as though he pulled the words from her mind and forced them between her lips. Her heart began to beat horrifically fast as she felt confined and enslaved to terror in his presence. A tear slipped from her eye as panic gripped her. As sadness consumed her. “The Silver Crystal cannot help you… it cannot help anyone without-”

“JADEITE!” Zoisite yelled, breaking the trance immediately.

Venus fell to her knees on the rough stone and gasped for air. What power did this Beast have? Her fingers lingered on her throat, trying to regain her composure, realizing that Nephrite was at her side with a large hand encompassing her back, growling over her head toward the strange Snake-like man. He had coiled his impossibly long body around him, staring with a look of defiance on his face. 

“Are you alright?” Nephrite tried to soothe with his deep voice, which seemed to calm her. She forced a smile and lifted her eyes to meet his feline stare, pleased to see his mane combed and that he was dressed as a Lordly man should be, even through the guise of a monster. 

“I think so… what-” 

“Just Jadeite being a buffoon.” Zoisite snarked, “I told you to watch out for him. He’s half mad and a complete idiot.” 

“Yesssss, and I might have gotten more out of her than you have in weeks.” Jadeite hissed back, narrowing his blue eyes down at the rodent who perpetually seemed to try keeping his distance. It brought a guilty expression from Zoisite who lowered his head and kept his tail unusually close to his body. Even Nephrite’s brown eye, the expressive one seemed a bit less than innocent where his blue eye reflected his despair as Jadeite hissed on. “Forgive me, Beautiful One, I had to try.” 

Venus swallowed hard, trying to shake off the feelings of betrayal. At least Jadeite seemed honest in his intentions but the gifts Nephrite left her, and the mornings she spent with Zoisite talking about her old life were tainted by their ill agendas. The Snake was no different. He was just that- a snake.

“I think we’re past that,” Zoisite said, a bit softer. His small paws clinging to the fabric of her skirt as though he were choosing sides. It helped her smile become genuine, especially when his attitude reemerged without missing a beat. “Not to mention, are you out of your mind? You have met Venus. You knew she wasn’t to be harmed, you half witted-!”

“Shut up Rat boy. I have yet to have my breakfast, and if it means I don’t have to hear you speak anymore…” 

“Enough.” Nephrite interrupted, turning to face her with concern lacing his expression. “Here, I’ll get the blanket if you wish to take a walk to calm yourself.” 

“No, I’d rather stay close if that’s alright with you,” Venus admitted anxiously, her nerves rattled beyond repair at this point. “I thought...I thought magic was gone from this place? He says it’s not magic but-” 

“It is,” Nephrite explained, taking up the large blanket in his claws and spreading it on the ground with ease that would have taken at least two people to achieve. “As I have always been able to speak to the stars, Jadeite has always been able to communicate with his mind.” 

“But the statues… the trees..” 

“Illusions. Even before this, people said that his telepathy was powerful enough to reach into your mind and twist reality as you know it. They too said his mother must have been a witch.”

“And Zoisite? What about him?”

Nephrite chuckled at the question and gestured for her to sit down with him, which she was all too happy to oblige. Venus spread her skirt around her and nestled into the warmth that seeped up into the fabric from the sun-soaked stone. “If his ego tells you anything, Zoisite was exceptionally brilliant. He was praised and practically heralded as a scholar before he was fit to be called a man.” 

“A man…” She found herself repeating softly, earning Nephrite’s wounded gaze. “Jadeite must still be rather powerful…” 

“Perhaps another enchantment of the palace, or some idiot bargain he made with it.” He muttered grimly, shifting his gaze when he noted that Jadeite and Zoisite had grown quite silent, only to be met by Kunzite’s form looming in the entryway adjacent to them. It startled Venus, and she peered at him beyond Nephrite’s massive form, her eyes following when he silently padded into the garden toward the Snake just in front of them.

“Good Afternoon.” She greeted, forcing a smile in memory of the night before with hope that he hadn’t changed his mind about being at least tolerable. Nephrite’s gaze was oddly pleading at her shifted attention, and she did all she could to ignore it. 

“Hello.” He offered flatly without the audacity to look at her. Kunzite’s grey gaze was fixed with minute hostility on Jadeite’s coiled form in front of them. His great paw lifted, and Venus shrieked before she meant to when she thought the Wolf meant to kill him. Instead, with a great thwap, he swiped with a paw that connected at the back of Jadeite’s head to force him to spit out whatever he was holding in his mouth.

Zoisite plummeted from the Snake’s mouth, flopping on the stone with a wet smack and followed by no shortage of obscenities. She leaned forward and offered a hand to the Rat, still flinching away as Kunzite stepped closer. “Oh, are you alright!?”

“He’s fine,” Kunzite said, plopping down on his haunches beside her, placing Venus between himself and Nephrite. “You should know better than to not be watching him, Nephrite. Jadeite forgets himself sometimes.” 

The Lion stared at the Wolf, an expression halfway between disbelief and annoyance. Something flashing behind his eyes that was conflicted but also relieved. “As do we all these days it seems.” 

“I can’t believe you actually let him eat me!” Zoisite interjected, stomping over to nestle into her skirts at her side and far out of Jadeite’s reach.

“I can’t be blamed for insatiable hunger, my dearest friend.” The snake grinned, baring his fangs and forked tongue, turning his amusement further toward Kunzite. “Good to see that you’re still a stick in the mud.” 

“Stop trying to eat Zoisite.” He growled in return, huffing heavily through his nose which made Venus giggle. It was almost sweet the very subtle ways that Kunzite expressed his affection for the three other Beasts. She began to understand that beneath the bristled fur and claws that the Wolf genuinely cared with the loyalty that only a wolf could express to his pack. 

“It sounds like you all could use some lunch.” She said matter of factly, reaching into the basket to begin spreading out the food and pouring wine, sneaking Zoisite who’d nestled practically in her lap a generous hunk of cheese. Her eyes lifted toward Kunzite who peered distractedly out at the barren gardens surrounding them. He was a bit unkempt in comparison to the others, but there was a sharp clarity in his eyes that she was certain hadn’t been there before, and he had shown her some kindness the previous night, hadn’t he? “I’m glad you joined us.” 

“Hm?” Venus watched something less civilized flash in his sharp grey eyes the moment he looked at her but it was gone as soon as it came they reverted back to their normal indifference. He simply nodded, shifting uneasily in place.

“We’re typically more nocturnal in nature,” Nephrite explained, leaning toward her in an attempt to steal her attention away from the Wolf on her other side. They told her after dark, creatures of Metalia’s darkness tended to roam these lands, so it made sense the way she was forbidden to leave the palace at night. They stayed on patrol then, even if evil could not penetrate the barrier around the palace it was important to keep an eye on things should that ever change. It meant she was often left alone in the daylight hours to fend for her own entertainment. Not ideal by her standards, but Zoisite was often with her in the mornings and Nephrite filled her evenings with his stories. “So I admit it’s rather odd for us to be gathered like this… in the daytime.” 

“It’s odd that our leader joins us regardlesssss.” Jadeite hissed with a smug smile, blue eyes gleaming toward Kunzite who had grown rigid at her side. 

“Apologize to her.” He barked, a stern glare furrowing his brow. 

“Did you apologize?” The Snake pressed, expression growing ever more sly. “You’re quiet but I can hear you, you know.” It only served to make Kunzite growl, a familiar murderous gleam glowing hot with anger in his eyes. Shockingly it did little to sway Jadeite’s amusement. Regardless, his too blue eyes shifted toward her, and Venus found herself shrinking back, shockingly leaning toward the white wall of fur at her side in search of protection. “You’ll have to pardon my continued offenses, Beautiful One, but unlike some in our company, I am honest with my intentions. Knowing what you know, may explain why our gardens bloom in your presence. It may teach us how to be what we were. It may save ussssssss.” 

“You’re incorrigible.” Zoisite grumbled, half asleep with a belly full of cheese. Whatever he’d been working on with such discretion seemed to have wiped him out. 

Jadeite rolled his eyes and this and shrugged. “I cannot blame our leader for acting against her. I would have done the same, though I think it was just the reality check he needed.” 

Kunzite’s scathing glare continued to leave the snake unaffected, though Nephrite noticeably tensed beside her. Zoisite, however, shot up from his spot to haughtily retort. “Lies. You speak of honest intentions. Like everything else that moves, you would have devoured both Venus AND the Princess and nobody would be the wiser.” 

“Ah yes, how true.” Jadeite lamented, leaving Venus to stare in disbelief, her brows lifted to her hairline. “Nothing against you though darling, I’m always just so hungry.” 

Finally, Nephrite lifted a hand to quiet them. It was a motion that flashed guilt in Kunzite’s grey eyes as though it was a motion meant for his hand to make. It didn’t go unnoticed by her, and it began to make sense to her that perhaps Kunzite was someone of great importance. Someone to lead these creatures, definitely not a cook, and yet everything about these beings seemed to lean on his actions. “That’s enough. I think we’ve done plenty to frighten her. It’s safe to say perhaps we should treat her like our guest. Not a prisoner, or someone’s meal.” 

“It’s not as though she’ll be leaving anytime soon.” Zoisite pointed out, and Venus winced. Such a small motion, and yet Kunzite picked up on it right away. 

“As our guest,” The Wolf began, shifting his eyes briefly at Nephrite, “We expect you to abide by the rules of our world. You will not enter a door marked by a compass or rose, and you will not go outside after dark. It should be simple enough.” 

She nodded. They’d already made it clear several times, but Venus found herself confirming her understanding a third time. Sadness tugged at her expression, the thought of her Princess, her sisters in arms falling to the darkness without hope of return nearly destroyed her. From the corner of her eye, she swore Kunzite had lifted a hand to reach for her, but quickly withdrew before he ever touched her.

“I’m glad we’re clear.” He said instead, turning his gaze away. 

“Jadeite, you said that the gardens continue to bloom?” Zoisite asked thoughtfully, breaking the awkward silence that followed. Venus met his beady peridot eyes, noting he was looking at her for reasons she could only guess had to do with this supposed anomaly. 

“Yes, a ROSE this time, which is why I’m pleased that our leader has joined ussss. I have theories.” 

“Of course you do.” Zoisite quipped, sarcasm dripping from his tone. “I think we all have theories, but surely you’ll show us?” 

“I can stay behind to keep Venus company.” Nephrite offered. 

Venus swallowed a sip of wine too hard and nearly choked. Kunzite stood to follow Jadeite to where the shriveled gardens were supposedly beginning to bloom, his conflicted stare flickering between her and the Lion at her side. 

“I’d like to see the flowers.” She smiled, genuinely excited by the prospect of seeing something delicate and beautiful in this dried up vicious world consumed by darkness and gloom. 

“No, it’s best you stay. The enchantment could be dangerous.” Kunzite replied, swinging his snout away from her toward his escape route. Jadeite, forever smirking, watched him knowingly, and approached to select a few treats from the basket. 

“Is it dangerous? Or could the source of the enchantment be just under our noses?” The Snake asked, promptly devouring half a loaf of unsliced bread and a bit of cheese in one bite. Zoisite stood, surprisingly tossing him an apple and making steps to join them. 

“I’d like to know the same thing actually.” The Rat muttered almost too quiet to hear, abandoning the warm bed that he’d nestled into her skirts to join Kunzite by the gate. They all seemed to be staring at her with questions in their eyes, all except for the White Wolf. 

“We may get some evidence if she does join us, perhaps if she stays close to you Kunzite, it may be very informative.” 

“Enough of your thoughtless ramblings Jadeite.” Kunzite growled, padding through the overgrown entryway with a swish of his long tail.

  
“Oh my ramblings are anything but thoughtless, my friend.” He hissed, pausing where the others disappeared only seconds before. He turned back with a knowing grin, mischief in his marble-like blue eyes. “But the matter of whose thoughts my observations belong to… that is perhaps the remarkable source of this enchantment. Only the roses will tell.”


	11. Fixation

“Ouch! Watch it!”  Venus cried out, squirming yet again while Zoisite tried his very best to master an intricate style for her hair that consisted of twists and curls all composed and held together by more pins than would fit in his mouth.  “First you tried killing me with this awful corset and now you’re trying to stab me to death one pin at a time! What’s gotten into you today!” 

“Just hold still, would you?!”  He growled through his teeth, causing her to hiss in pain when he jabbed another pin into place.  “If you didn’t have so much hair…”

“What does it matter what my hair looks like!?” 

Pausing, he took a deep calming breath and tried to proceed a bit more gently. Her hair really was problematic, and how could he explain he was testing a theory today? That he needed her to look more beautiful than she already was… somehow… for reasons…  “Because I told you, there is more to looking the part of aristocracy than fine gowns and jewels. There is STYLE to it. I’ve just been…. Easing you into it.” 

“Ugh, no one here cares, and I’m not here to impress you-”

“Monsters?”  He jabbed back at her. Zoisite felt her back grow more rigid if possible, the boning of the corset he’d spent the better part of fifteen minutes fitting to her hourglass curves already holding her perfectly upright. A few good meals in and her body had begun to fill back out into womanly perfection. 

“I…. I don’t think you’re monsters.”  The admission came sheepishly and he didn’t buy a word of it, not that he cared.  “I just… I can’t breathe and… I’m sure my hair looks lovely.” 

“It does.”  He said, feeling a mixture of emotions stirring within him that he’d rather die than admit. She was beautiful, more so than he’d been willing to speak aloud in however many days or weeks that he’d been dressing her now and even by his standards her hair gleamed in pinned up curls off of her neck. Zoisite wasn’t sure there was a word for the kind of beautiful that she was. 

“Thank you, Zoi.” 

Her voice had softened, and it took him a full minute to realize she was smiling at him through the mirror, catching him in an admiring gaze that he had to immediately stifle with a cough into his paw.  “Yes, well don’t tell me I never did the Goddess of Beauty any favors.” 

“The Goddess of Love.”  Venus corrected with a wink that made his cheeks grow hot. Perhaps the only time in his life he’d been grateful his cheeks were covered with whiskers and wiry fur.  “You may call me Ishara...if you like.”

“I always thought you were named for the planet you represent for the Alliance.” He said thoughtfully, glad for the subject change and yet as she said her name he felt warm. Honored.

Venus laughed at this and shifted on the bench to face him. “Earth wasn’t the name of your planet’s Guardian…” She trailed off at this, seemingly noticing the way his fur bristled and Zoisite felt a rabid urge roiling in his blood. “We have names just like everyone else, but they are rarely spoken. There is power in names, so I offer you mine.” 

He shifted uncomfortably and found himself having a hard time meeting her eyes. They were so...friendly. Trusting. “Yes well fine. I must be off, but perhaps a tiny bit of rouge for the cheeks and lips and you can finally pass as a proper Lady as well as a Goddess. Not too much or you’ll look like a whore.” 

“Such compliments, really Zoisite you’ve outdone yourself.”  She replied flatly, reaching for the rouge as suggested, lightly bouncing the flush onto her cheeks with the pads of her fingers.  “I would like to explore more of the palace today.” 

“What’s the rush?”  He sneered, scurrying toward the door with annoyance. He had yet another large task to attend to that morning.  “And your sarcasm is hardly welcome Princess.” 

“What do you mean, what's the rush? I have to figure out what’s happening here so I can get home!” 

Zoisite’s entire persona sagged and he gazed up at the clock on the mantle, grateful that this was a normal clock, not the demonic Hell clock ticking away in the sitting room. Each second that ticked was yet another closer toward the final hour. The end of all hope. But he lied anyway.  “No rush Princess. There is time.” 

When Venus seemed sated, he quickly scurried down the hall as fast as he could. Behind the tapestry and through a hole in the wall. Zoisite knew the route well, climbing and running toward an upper floor he rarely visited. To a wing with double doors bearing the once elegant carvings of a compass, a sunrise, stars, and clouds. His whiskers drooped to see the claw marks disturbing the beautiful carvings, symbols that once gave him such pride. The doors were heavy but he pressed through them, trying not to acknowledge the room that once belonged to him, now a workshop for his experiments. Bones of animals and ruined tapestries littered the walls and floors, their private library left in ruins at the end of the hall. 

But what he was most interested in, was the room belonging to the Elysian army’s commander. The one he had very recently decided to reoccupy.  “Kunzite are you in here?” 

“What do you want?” 

Zoisite swallowed hard and slipped into the door. The curtains were all drawn closed but tattered, allowing dusty streams of light to spill into the otherwise dark room. Kunzite’s hulking form was strewn on the bed in a pile of claws and white fur, eyes grey, and as sharp as his fangs.  “Well, you see, I was going to suggest that you dress properly and perhaps show our lady guest the libraries? Not ours… obviously. But mine.” 

“Yours? She doesn’t seem to be the type to read.”  He grumbled, annoyance oozing from his tone. Zoisite might have laughed at the slight to her intelligence once but her name seemed stuck inside of his head and he gave the brooding Wolf a pointed look. 

“Correct, she’s told me she hates reading, but I thought if YOU show her-” 

“What’s the point?”  He growled louder, unmoving from his shredded bed, almost as though he’d lost the will to move. 

“I thought it might be a good option for an apology… for your rather unwelcoming salutations when she first arrived. You haven’t properly done that yet and well...She doesn’t like reading but she does like stories. I think she might like it if someone reads to her.” 

“I helped her cook. That is sufficient enough. I have no desire to read to  _ anyone _ let alone…  _ her _ .”  There it was, the hopelessness Zoisite knew he’d find. The sadness Jadeite had advised him was present during their picnic the day prior. That idiotic snake was insane but handy to have around when he wanted to test one of his theories in regards to the blooming in the gardens. 

Jadeite was determined that this meant something, and Zoisite had become even more adamant.  “Well… I suppose I’ll see if Nephrite would like to take her. She’s quite bored and I know they get along-”

Kunzite growled and sat up abruptly, eyes piercing and glowing in the darkness down at him.  “Have you come to punish me? Perhaps YOU should take her to the Libraries since you’ve become so close.” 

“Yes well….I’ll be with you to make sure you don’t say something you shouldn’t, because you will, but Venus seemed quite excited by the prospect of spending more time with you.”  Zoisite lied, knowing full well she’d be pleased by the company of any one of them as long as she didn’t have to be alone. A small, well placed fib, the kind he’d always been famous for facilitating that often led to prosperous, or disastrous, results… assuming that he never got caught. 

Kunzite’s ears perked noticeably, though he kept that look of aggravation on his brow, a slight sneer in his upper lip.  “I’ll go as I am.” 

“Ah but she has taken great lengths in her excitement to appeal to you. She looks rather ravishing if I do say so myself. I think some… effort on your part is required.”  He lied again, and this time Kunzite saw straight through him. 

“Do not set up one of your schemes Zoisite. She’s a Venusian, she’d sooner wear nothing at all than what you’ve been dressing her in like she’s some DOLL.” 

“Yes. And that would please you a great deal I assume.”  He bit back, mustering some sort of courage to step forward with aggression. It had been so long since Kunzite was around them. He remembered too well those early days of madness. The destruction. The hostility. How Kunzite, their leader who had always endured the brunt of the weight without a flicker of emotion, had completely lost his mind.  “I have no time for your stubbornness. She is waiting. I will gather a fine coat and new pants while you bathe and properly comb your… fur.” 

“Zoi…”  He warned, but the Rat Prince would have none of his hostile objections.

“As I said, Nephrite would be more than happy to take your place.” 

Kunzite growled, glaring in a way that Zoisite was certain meant death to anyone else that might have pressed their luck with the White Wolf, but it forced him from his bed, grimacing the entire time he slinked into his bathroom to wash. 

The Elysian castle was a strange place. Decrepit wardrobes full of fine clothes suitable for that of a gentleman but fitted perfectly to the bodies of beasts. Zoisite ignored a familiar uniform tunic of white and gold that didn’t seem to have been resized, and opted for something more fitting for a more casual occasion that would impress and charm a young woman. Not that Kunzite had many garments meant for such an occasion but he was able to make do with a mustard yellow vest and deep grey frock coat, complementary to the vibrant cerulean of the square necked gown he’d chosen for Venus, one to accent some of her more, supple curves. 

“I feel…” 

“Refined? NORMAL?

“This is completely unnecessary.”  Kunzite grumbled, groomed, and dressed much to Zoisite’s amusement that it was a seemingly territorial tactic to prevent Nephrite from escorting their lovely guest for the day. Poor intentions be damned, it was the perfect excuse for him to test this theory. 

A few blossoms of appropriate flowers had bloomed throughout their gardens after a few nights of Zoisite working with Nephrite to leave her gifts, or spending time with the Venusian, but after one night of Kunzite swallowing his bitter pride to help the girl cook a proper meal, a bush full of perfect roses bloomed just outside the doors of the royal catacombs. Even Jadeite agreed that it had to be related, they hadn’t seen roses in centuries.

“Well, you want her to look at you as more than just some rabid dog don’t you?”  Zoi inquired slyly, observing the very telling shift of Kunzite’s eyes, embarrassment he tried to play off as an annoyance. 

“Her opinion of me won’t get us out from under this…. This…” 

“Curse?”  He finished, shuffling closer to Kunzite now that he was mostly certain the Wolf wouldn’t try to maul him.  “I figured that you were aware of how rapidly our time is running out. I suppose I didn’t think about how much you feel it.”

“I feel nothing anymore.”  He growled, brushing past him and out the door in a hurry. 

“Wait for me!”  Zoisite called out, scampering after the giant Wolf, clamoring up his tail and up the tail of his frock coat to rest upon his shoulder. He’d been close to Kunzite once. He looked up to him as a mentor and older brother, he’d been his best friend he was certain, but it was so long ago that he had been just a boy, barely eight, and brought to Elysium to serve a purpose he was too ignorant to understand. Even as he grew up Zoisite could now admit, to himself only, that he had been so very foolish. 

He relaxed when Kunzite didn’t swipe him off of his shoulder, or command for him to get down. The cool and spicy scent of his fur, thick and very soft, was comforting and familiar.  “Well… where is she?” 

“She’ll be waiting for us in the sitting room.”  Zoisite chuckled softly to himself, almost wanting to laugh at how soft Kunzite was growing toward the girl.  “She wanted to make us tea.” 

At this, even Kunzite chuckled, barely perceivably, but he could feel the slight tremble in his shoulders, the soft sound rumble through his chest.  “I can’t remember the last time I had tea…” 

“Probably because you always drank that terrible coffee. Black, without a spot of sugar or cream in sight.” 

“Yours was all cream and sugar, the smallest splash of coffee…”  The Wolf reminisced, fondly so if Zoisite had to guess. 

“Because coffee is vile and should have been outlawed. I think I remember trying to sabotage the trade…” 

“Heh, yes, and Endy….”  Kunzite’s voice died in his throat before he could boast about one of Zoisite’s great failures. He cleared it once and picked up his pace, returning to cold and bitter silence. 

_ Endymion had unknowingly opened trade to four other island countries, bringing in four different varieties of coffees from all over the world. Elysium could have swum in it.  _

That was what Kunzite had meant to say. Wanted to say. But the sound of that name was unbearable to them all. 

* * *

Every time he was near her, there was such an offensive assault of the senses that Kunzite could scarcely stand the rampant beating of his own heart. They’d barely reached the double doors of the sitting room, which she’d made quite cozy with her softly singing voice and intoxicating scent, and his fur was set on edge with the anticipation of it. What was he doing? Why did he care so much that Nephrite might seek and earn her attention when he had been the one that captured her? 

Part of him, the less proud half, was convinced that the possessive feeling he felt was merely territorial, the chance to own something more beautiful than he’d ever seen in his life. Even before this cursed existence, he’d never seen anything as spectacular as Beauty Incarnate. The other half of him had simply become an addict of it. Challenging her every word to see what vicious reply she’d shoot back at him. To swim in her soothing voice as she hummed tunes that he’d never heard before. To fill the darkest corners of their wretched lives with the light that she permeated. It was terrifying that while he had been victorious so far in not being bought by her endless wells of beauty, he was certain it was something else that would be his downfall. 

Perhaps, if he let it, it might save him.

Even then, with the scent of hot tea and the tang of fresh lemon wafting through the door, undertones of her scent mingled the notes with florals and sunshine that made him pause before entering.  “What are you waiting for? You’ve taken long enough as it is.”  Zoisite whispered into his perked ear,  “Go to her.” 

He didn’t know what the Rat was up to this morning, but he had to admit that having him tucked snuggly in the collar of his frock coat was mildly comforting. With bated breath, Kunzite stepped through the double doors. 

The sight of her was unfair. As though Zoisite had schemed this all himself, he was greeted with such a sight that the breath he’d taken just seconds prior might as well have been his last. Her summery blue eyes met his with the lift of her long and graceful neck, exposed with only a few loose golden ringlets that had fallen from her carefully placed hair. A pleasant flush tinged her pale skin, more exposed for them to savor by the grace of a blue gown that had been made for Venus, and only Venus alone. Jealousy clenched his clawed hands when he spied the perfect sapphire nestled between the swells of her bound breasts in the shape of an angel’s tear. A gift from Nephrite no doubt, for he always had been a man for flashy gifts. 

“Hello.”  She greeted softly, shaking herself back together it appeared as she’d been looking at him for as long as he’d been savoring her.  “You look rather dashing today.” 

“No need to tease me, Princess.”  He replied, issuing a proper gesture, something between a nod and a bow at Zoisite’s whispered command. 

“You’ll know if I’m teasing you.”  Venus smirked, her lips alluring to him in ways he had yet to comprehend, likely because now she was teasing him, but it had nothing to do with actually being alluring. 

She was a soldier too, he reminded himself, and together they could maybe devise a plan. Kunzite hadn’t ever counted on seeing the other side of this curse, and he showed it those years ago when he completely lost himself to the animal he’d become. But his knowledge combined with whatever this Soldier of Serenitatis knew, could be mutually beneficial, even when the thought of her leaving them there in that palace, that mausoleum of ghosts, only brought him greater despair. 

“Tell her she looks nice.”  Zoisite whispered urgently, noting his stunned silence. 

“You look...um...you look... “ 

“Yes, Kunzite?”  She asked with no shame for her vanity. 

Kunzite swallowed hard and tried to bite back his irritation from it. Just looking at her, the words felt bland on his tongue.  “Well, I suppose it would be redundant to say that you look beautiful.” 

“Beauty is anything but redundant, but thank you. I think.”  She offered, handing him a saucer with a dainty cup of tea that he’d have to try hard not to break in his paw. He thought her statement would further antagonize his temper, yet the appealing flush that tinted her chest and spread slowly to her neck only made the sentiment more endearing. Made the Goddess herself all the more appealing.  “I don’t suppose that Zoisite would like a cup of tea as well?” 

“Ugh, busted.”  The Rat groaned, slipping down off of his shoulder to plop on the cushion of the sofa.  “I’m losing my touch.” 

“I’m onto you,”  Venus warned, passing him some tea and a biscuit, her eyes narrowed and lips turned into a playful smirk.  “But I am glad you decided to join us.” 

Awkwardly, Kunzite sipped the warm herbal beverage made with too much sugar and a tart bite of lemon and tried to keep his face from puckering. Shockingly even Zoisite behaved with his reaction, only discreetly spitting the drink back into his cup, sharing a very telling look with him. 

“I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting you either.”  Venus finished softly, sitting down in an oversized armchair with more grace than should have been natural with her teacup in hand, unaffected with the drink's rather pungent flavor. 

“Does my presence displease you?”  Kunzite asked, setting his tea aside in favor of drinking in her ethereal presence. Besides, how could he explain the difficulties of using civilized tools such as teacups with a wolf’s snout?

“I don’t know.”  She said honestly. He couldn’t help but notice that she’d taken the seat farthest from him. That even the day prior she’d winced when he moved sometimes and yet when Jadeite frightened her, she sought safety near him.  “I guess you could say you made quite the first impression.” 

“Apologize.”  Zoisite hissed very softly. So softly in fact Kunzite was certain she hadn’t heard him, so he merely glared down at the Rat briefly and stubbornly clenched his jaw. 

Most nights, he’d spent his time hunting alongside a wild pack of grey wolves. Loyalty like theirs was rare, and something he hadn’t known in longer than his own rabid mind would allow him to remember. They would have understood that the rabbit he brought her was better than some empty apology, though Kunzite still had trouble comprehending things of the civilized world like teacups and frock coats, and sincerely spoken apologies.  “Well, you have no reason to be afraid of me…”

“I’m not.”  She spoke sharply, holding his eyes in a manner he remembered well from the night he caught her. They were hard, battle-worn eyes that had seen carnage, and felt loss.  “I enjoyed our dinner. It was kind of you to do that for me. I’m grateful.” 

A small sharp elbow poked into his side and once more Zoisite climbed up onto his shoulder to speak even more quietly directly into his ear.  “Invite her to the library!”

Kunzite pretended to scratch behind his large perked ear when in reality he pushed the Rat off of his shoulder with the back of his hand. Of course, Zoisite caught himself right away and was perched back on his shoulder just as quickly to give his fur a hard yank. He rolled his grey eyes and took a breath to calm his racing heart.  “I thought you might enjoy seeing our library today.” 

“Hm, I’ve never been much of a reader.”  Venus admitted with irritating boredom, yet still, it seemed to pique her interest. 

“You expressed a desire to help your people. Learn more about mine and maybe…” 

“Help you.”  She stated with a surprising lack of disdain or selfishness, but blunt truth. Instead, she set down her teacup and brushed the crumbs from her skirt, leaning forward.  “I admit I haven’t ventured too far within the palace for fear of getting lost. I’d very much like to see your library if you’d be so generous as to allow me to use your resources.” 

“This sounds more like a business proposition…”  Zoisite muttered, a frown on his whiskers. 

“What do you think this is?”  Kunzite grumbled in return, trying to keep his rising temper from slipping from his grasp. 

“Is there something you wanted to say?”  Venus interrupted, earning the eyes of both Beasts.  “I’d like to join in on the conversation too.” 

“I was making sure that Zoisite didn’t have something of more importance to attend to.”  He lied, causing the Rat on his shoulder to groan in annoyance. 

“You are so not smooth.”  Zoisite muttered quietly. Kunzite growled low in his throat, stiffening in his seat when Venus stood and sauntered a few steps toward them. 

“Eager to get me alone again Beast?”  She clearly assessed his reaction, amusement curling her lips in an infuriating manner that made the Rat on his shoulder audibly swallow. Likely in regret for choosing that dress for her.  “He may join us if he’d like.” 

“Fine.”  Kunzite grumbled, standing to loom over the Goddess with a glower down his snout, ignoring her very direct innuendos. Had he been a man, her behavior would have been a very valuable lesson on how lethal seduction could be.  “Follow me.” 

Surprisingly, she was quiet when they entered the hall, filling it with her perfume that seemed to dazzle the palace as much as she seemed to be enthralled with it. The candles lit for her, statues swooned, and the few paintings left hanging seemed to shift their eyes to catch a better glimpse at the Earthbound Goddess. Even he found himself staring, forgetting himself, and that Zoisite still rode along on top of his shoulder. 

“Say something.”  He whispered, giving Kunzite the urge to stuff him inside one of the vacant suits of armor they passed. 

“What am I supposed to say?” 

“I don’t know, ask her about books or something.” 

“You’re doing it again.”  Venus lifted her brow and scolded him with her alluring blue eyes. 

“There is no need for you to be involved in our every conversation.”  He replied, returning her glare. 

Zoisite, however, placed a paw to his forehead and clenched his beady eyes shut.  “Not what I had in mind.” 

“Forgive me for not exactly appreciating being spoken about like I’m not right here.”  Her arms folded stubbornly over her chest and shockingly, the way her bottom lip pouted ever so slightly didn’t insight any of his rage. 

“Are there any books you enjoy?”  Kunzite heard himself asking. His tone was less than welcoming of course, but not unpleasant by his standards. 

“None I can think of.”  Venus admitted, continuing to eye him suspiciously. Again he asked himself what the point was. Merely clenching his jaw to avoid saying something further to antagonize the girl.  “I enjoy stories mostly, but reading is boring.” 

“The library may not be of interest to you then.” 

“No!”  She spoke quickly, like the reaction had been forced from her lips.  “I… I want you to show me.” 

Kunzite had paused, considering turning on his paw to leave her in Zoisite’s care before her voice had softened and tethered itself in his chest.  “Very well.” 

* * *

Growing up, Queen Serenity always told her that it wasn’t polite to stare. Yet she found herself unable to look away from him while they walked, ignoring the strange magic surrounding them that gave the old castle such life. Perhaps she became occupied by the sharp change in this creature that was merely an animal in her mind for several days. Now, in measured moments, she could almost describe him as kind. 

Zoisite was up to something, of that she was certain the way he’d stuffed her into this dress and spent far longer than usual to make her more presentable. His words, not her own, but even the Wolf’s fur looked whiter, softer, and smelled of foreign spices and the breath of the sea. His eyes were sharper, more aware, but still dangerously grey. 

“This is it.”  He spoke in such deep, soft tones that she barely registered that he’d spoken until he carefully swung the door to the library open for her to step through. 

Dark wood, and marble, all intricately carved, accented with gold, and scented with the musk of old books filled her senses the moment she entered the vast space. The walls consisted of nothing but shelving packed with tomes and scrolls which covered one of the desks as though someone had only just been doing research and stepped away. Spiral staircases lead to a balcony leading to another floor that circled around the endless room containing more walls of shelving containing any and every book to have ever been written on this planet. At least that’s what she assumed.

“What Mercury wouldn’t give to see a place like this…”  Venus whispered, eyes darting all around her at the scholarly room. The center of the floor contained a compass, a theme she remembered that usually symbolized something forbidden.  “What does this mean? The compass…. What does it symbolize?”

She turned, breath catching when she met his eyes, and no sooner had she asked the question a fire roared to life in the oversized fireplace behind her, flickering its amber light through thick white fur. His eyes were nearly clear and so sharp she thought they might pierce her very soul. The Wolf was terrifying to behold, no less frightening in his fine clothing because clothes could not cover his serrated fangs and dark claws.  “The compass symbolizes the four corners of our planet. It meant something once, but it doesn’t now.” 

“Things just don’t lose their meaning-”

“Enough!”  He barked icily. Venus swallowed, suddenly feeling rather unwelcome despite the warmth of the fire that flickered through the large space. Even the cozy sitting area nestled in front of the hearth appeared ominous. She turned her back on the two Beasts, once more whispering their secrets to each other, and this time she didn’t care. She felt her eyes prick with unwelcome tears, his coldness a cruel reminder that she was stuck here. Whatever Zoisite said to him made the Wolf growl menacingly behind her.  “You must understand that there are things here that you are better off not knowing. You are welcome to use this to research what you will about your world but the past here is best left buried.” 

“You think I don’t see how all of you look to me for answers? For help? I know that whatever has happened to you was for a reason, but if you truly want my help then I’m going to need some answers too.”  Venus built up the courage to face him, Zoisite so tiny in comparison to this creature's imposing frame, his whiskers drooped and green eyes worried. But she stared up into the face of the Beast who harmed her, who frightened her, and she saw so much rage. Beyond that, she saw so much stifling sorrow too.  “Otherwise I will find my way home on my own… and I will fight to save my people. With any hope, I would fight to save you too.” 

“Beryl is a crafty one. I doubt she’ll waste much time dispatching whatever is left of Serenitatis.” 

“I know.”  She swallowed hard and took a wary step toward him.  “There isn’t much left to save, but I cannot fail Serenity. I will not.” 

Something soft passed behind Kunzite’s eyes, and the Rat standing on his hind legs beside him appeared to be observing or judging her, but Venus hardly noticed. She tried to hold onto that softness in Kunzite but it was gone as soon as it came. 

“I understand.” 

“So,”  She began, daring to take another step closer. Venus noticed how his muscles stiffened, and he held her eyes as though she were the dangerous one.  “You will help me then?” 

“Do you even know what you are looking for? This is Celestial magic only the Silver Alliance could have stopped.” 

“Were you not part of that Alliance yourself?”  She challenged, bending to gather Zoisite into her arms to carry him as Kunzite began to walk toward a section of shelving near the abandoned desk. Surprisingly the Rat didn’t argue as he normally did, resigned to being carried while they meandered closely behind the White Wolf. 

“Yes, but Earthen magic has always been different from Lunar magic. Or Venusian for that matter. Ours was always complementary, more subtle.” 

“Subtle.”  Venus repeated, trying to swallow the ideals that had been fed to her in her upbringing that taught her that Earthen magic was weak. 

“Earthen magic was ill prepared to handle the power of the Sun that this dark entity came from and yet -”

“Earth absorbs the Sun. It’s made of minerals and crystal, soil, and we rely on our poles, North and South, as well as our equator spanning from East to West, our gravity…” 

Venus paused, staring poleaxed by Zoisite who began prattling off information that was far beyond her realm of knowledge, paws gesturing as he spoke in that tone that insinuated that these were things she should have already known. One thing stood out to her, and it fell out of her mouth before she could stop it.  “The Compass…” 

“That’s enough of that Zoisite. It won’t help her in her mission.”  The two Beast locked eyes in a silent exchange that once again she felt left out of. This time she decided to let it go, likely for the best based on the look in Kunzite’s eyes.  “Nor will it help us in ours.” 

“Sure.”  Zoisite sighed defeatedly, squirming out of her arms to scurry back toward a specific shelf to just barely pull two books.  “Start here with Earth’s elements and how they are enhanced by both the Sun and the Moon. It goes over everything I mentioned in more detail as well as how the Moon affects the Sun and vice versa.” 

“This is a baseline Zoi, I need more than this. Earth has no magic anymore…”  Venus paused and swallowed as the words came out, glancing nervously around her when the fire behind her blazed brighter and the shelves around them seemed to shutter in offense.  “Okay so maybe not ALL magic is gone…” 

“Whatever magic that lingers here is different. Enchantment is a symptom of magic, but even that runs out eventually.”  Zoisite said. She’d heard it before too, but the more things came up the more confused she was. 

“You say that about everything in regards to this castle in particular. You never talk about it.”  Venus pointed out, fingering the pages of one of the books Zoisite handed her. The Rat gave her a warning look with his peridot eyes not to push the issue that tensed her lips into a reserved frown.  “I’m sorry that I just don’t buy it. I experienced what Jadeite can still do even though you claim that whatever this entity is has stolen it all. Nephrite can still speak to the stars and you tell me that there is no magic?” 

“Where is YOUR magic Goddess?”  Kunzite growled, turning sharply to face her effectively snapping her mouth shut. Venus didn’t have an answer for it, and it was clear that she would get none from these creatures. Her eyes dropped to the books in her hands, a longing sadness tugging in her chest. 

“If I knew… I wouldn’t be asking you for answers. If I had my power, I’m certain I’d be able to save us all.”  Turning on her heel, she slowly stepped back toward the fire as an unsettling chill had washed over her. She was vaguely aware of Zoisite scolding Kunzite in hushed tones but chose not to care for what words were spoken. 

Her feelings for the beastly wolf were conflicting. He scared her, infuriated her, and yet there was a sadness in him that intrigued her and she found herself wanting to tell him everything. Perhaps it was his honesty, his lack of bribing her with jewels and fine dresses and luxury that would do nothing to help her get her home. Kunzite had brought her a meal which brought life to the kitchen that sustained her, he brought her here to this library of resources that may or may not serve her mission well. 

“I did not mean to be harsh.”  He began in a forced, almost apologetic tone.  “You think your power alone would be enough to save them?” 

Her eyes closed at the soft husk of his voice behind her. Her vanity allowed her to imagine him as some handsome dignitary, but she found herself shrugging away the idea because she remembered well that only monsters dwelled here. But even monsters weren’t all bad.

“No. But my power would be enough to find a way home. Love is always powerful enough, and if I could just get back to Serenitatis then Serenity could....”  Her words trailed off, nearly about to speak about secrets of the Silver Crystal, unsure why she felt like she could trust him so completely that the words had felt like a casual conversation. He didn’t respond for a long moment, but she knew he was there, looming just behind without prying her for the rest of that sentence. Venus was grateful for that. 

The day was early still and yet the room darkened with the impending gloom of a midday rain. “I’m going to bring Jadeite inside.”  Zoisite announced defeatedly,  “Stupid snake will drown out there. The solarium should keep him warm enough.” 

“Don’t become his lunch.”  Venus half heartedly teased as the Rat turned to leave with the roll of his eyes. It did little to lighten the mood or ease her discomfort of being left alone with the Wolf practically breathing down her neck, but she turned over her shoulder to face him despite herself, breath catching to find his grey eyes already fixed upon her. 

“I should leave you to your studies.” 

“No.”  She blurted, turning fully toward him with a timidness that surprised her. Lightning flashed beyond the windows, and suddenly the idea of being left alone in a palace that felt like it was alive intimidated her.  “Would you help me? If nothing else… just keep me company? You don’t have to-” 

“If you wish. I’ll stay.” 

Venus nodded and swallowed hard at the first rumble of thunder, settling down on a plush rug in front of the hearth for light and warmth and opened the first book. Kunzite sat in the armchair beside her like a sentinel falling into a comfortable silence while a storm began to rage outside. The wind whistled through the castle’s turrets while thunder cracked and rattled the stained glass windows to accompany the pattering of rain. Inside, the generous fire in the hearth crackled and popped, giving off just enough light for her to read one of the books Zoisite recommended while Kunzite busied himself with the other. 

Where she thought she’d find humor in how cumbersome his large and deadly hands were when they handled commonplace items like teacups and books, Venus found that he could be quite delicate with them, or perhaps he valued these tomes of history and civilization stolen away from him by this great evil. She found herself watching when he turned a page with the careful motions of his finger, an unexpected source of distraction that he was all too content to ignore. As she found her focus, pouring over pages of ancient magics of the Earthen people everything Zoisite had said began to make sense but she only grew more curious about this compass, and what it meant. 

The rain turned into calming, peaceful pattering, giving way to a clearer evening just as the light began to wane. Absently she leaned against the chair that Kunzite sat in, reading so quietly that in certain moments she’d forgotten he was even sitting there until her arm would brush his leg, forcing her to correct her posture as though touching the Beast was a forbidden thing in itself. But it was warm and cozy and as the shadows grew longer, reaching from the windows toward them, her eyes became heavy and Venus found it harder to keep herself from leaning against him. 

“I think that’s enough for today.”  He said, finally breaking the quiet and spilling the book she’d been reading onto the floor when she jarred upright.  “You haven’t had supper yet, perhaps we could get some air before it gets too dark.” 

She swore there was amusement in his tone but she was too groggy to be sure.  “Yes, I’d like that… did Zoisite ever return?”

“No.”  He spoke softly as he stood, placing his book on the chair where he sat, and unexpectedly, offered his hand to help her up off of the floor. Venus eyed the gesture, trying not to be suspicious of it for she still remembered too well how it felt for those claws to tear through her flesh. 

Fighting through the fear that sat heavy and cold in her stomach, she slipped her hand into his and allowed Kunzite to help her to her feet. Briefly, she felt how soft his fur was when her fingers wrapped around his monstrously large hand, nearly falling into his chest because clearly, he did not know his own strength. Gasping, she met his eyes, quickly taking a step backward and away from him the moment her palms braced upon his powerful chest with a nervous laugh.  “Thank you.”

His jaw seemed to tense, and he tore his grey eyes from her in apparent shame.  “Come, before it gets too dark.” 

Venus nodded, feeling a bit of shame herself the way she’d reacted. Certainly, it was obvious that he was not the savage animal from their first meeting though clearly there was no short supply of his temper. He’d changed, rapidly so, over the expanse of a few days, and when she took a few hurried steps to follow Kunzite as he strode out of the library she more closely appraised him. His ears shifted at the sound of her footsteps but he kept his eyes and snout pointed forward, shoulders broad and tense and his chest proud though he walked with the hunched gait of a monster. 

They paused long enough for Venus to pull her cloak around her shoulders before entering the garden. Winter was on the air, and it bit at her face in short bursts of wind as they strolled across the damp stone. Silence was his language, she noted how despite his large size his paws were completely quiet with each step, and Kunzite hadn’t said a word since they left the library. Unlike the others who were so fraught with presence, he was like a ghost. Silent and haunted. 

“You’re different.”  She observed, each syllable like a step on thin ice.

“After a few hundred years I suppose a change was needed.” 

“It is a good change.”  The compliment didn’t seem to sway him though Venus could only assume that her opinion of him meant very little in the grand scheme of things. If she was going to be stuck there she wanted to at least be civil toward the Wolf.  “Thank you for deciding to help me.” 

“I decided nothing. I gave you tools to research, I never said I thought that you’d find anything of merit.”  He spoke calmly, only his ears twitching toward some sound every now and then, always so alert, so tense, she wondered if he ever relaxed. 

“Don’t you want answers too?”  She posed, irritated with his lack of concern. 

“Finding a way to get you home will not answer anything for us. Win or lose, we are damned to this place. As I see it, Beryl has already won.” 

This halted her steps, tears suddenly threatening to spill down her cheeks. Kunzite had stopped walking, forcing Venus to stare at his back since he would not turn back to look at her. She took a few steps, her hand reaching out to touch him but retracted, balling it into a fist at her side.  “You truly have given up, haven’t you?” 

“Venus, are you happy here?” 

Tears she’d been so stubborn to hold in fell down her cheeks the moment her eyes widened in shock.  “I...I’m not unhappy here but people are dying Beast, I can’t just sit idle and let that happen!” 

“There was unrest here when Earth joined the Alliance. What happened was no shock to your Silver Queen, I assure you, sitting idle is precisely what happened.” 

“You can’t keep blaming us. Unrest is different from whatever entity destroyed this place and I am SORRY that it happened this way but I can’t just give up! And you can’t expect me to let you give up either!”  Her voice echoed against the stone of the empty garden and she took another heated step to his side, her breath lodging in her throat when she saw the odd look in his sharp grey eyes. His brow knitted and he stared down at her for a long moment, seemingly studying the conviction in her face. 

“You call me Beast.”  He said, swallowing hard while trying to select the right words to say.  “Tell me… do you see me… see us, as anything but animals? Creatures?” 

“It’s what you are, is it not?” 

Pain flickered across his eyes which lost their clarity the moment he tore them away from her, and he began to walk ahead. She barely heard him when he spoke but heard the deep inflections of his desolate tone.  “Then it truly is hopeless…” 

“Have I misspoken? I didn’t mean to offend you.” 

“You only see what you wish to.”  Kunzite said, cold tone and stoic features returning. She was far from finished arguing with him but he was so closed off she wasn’t sure what to say or why it hurt so much that he was in pain. Like she could feel it too.

“I have seen kindness in you. You have shown me that you are indeed an animal, but you’ve also shown me more… Beast or not, I do care.” 

Halting again, he whipped around to face her and she thought his eyes could see straight through her if they wanted. Venus felt a strange emotion radiating from him, an alarming revelation that she was only attuned to certain emotions of the heart and for whatever reason her own beat faster in response.  “You are infuriating, stubborn, and you talk too much!” 

“Well I cannot see you if you don’t let me!”  She yelled back, stomping her foot like a child, her nails biting into her palms. 

Kunzite growled, raking his hand down his face and pinching his snout between his fingers.  “Because if you did, then you’d never learn to lo-” 

A faint rustling seemed to pull him directly from his thoughts. His ears perked and his eyes fixed on a point just off toward the forest, pupils large and eyes sharp. Venus huffed, her frustration with this conversation reaching new heights, and turned to see what had grabbed his attention only to see a young doe just near the forest path. Her next step toward him was careful as she could see his body tense and his lips grimace to reveal his deadly fangs. 

“What won’t I learn? Are you alright?”  He didn’t answer, but growled low in his chest, forcing her to fall back a step.  “Hey! Calm down! You CAN hear me can’t you?”  No reply. In fact, he tensed further as though preparing to strike and nearly ripping the seams on the frock coat he wore. Venus looked again, and this time, saw the doe’s newly born calf stumbling beside her and she turned, wide eyed, and panicked at the Wolf ready to pounce.  “Kunzite no! Please don’t!” 

He blinked, grey eyes regaining some clarity they shifted back to her wide, and suddenly horrified. It was the first time she’d seen him anything other than angry or indifferent. There was shame, embarrassment, sadness. She could see it, he’d shown her the Beast again. Only ever just a Beast, an animal, a predator. 

Kunzite took a slow, deep breath, his ears relaxing as he seemed to deflate, letting the doe and her fawn frolic away.  “I think you’ve seen enough.”  He muttered, snapping his head away from her, turning to walk in the other direction.  “Nephrite is waiting. You should go.” 

“You’re not joining us for dinner?”  Her voice was foreign to her, meek and somehow her heart was breaking for him as he became more and more visible to her.

“I’m late for the hunt. Go,”  He bit without the courtesy of addressing her directly. She struggled to keep up with his hurried gait, gathering her skirts, the fine detail work of her hair coming loose and spilling ringlets over her shoulders.  “It will be dark soon, and we warned you not to be outside of the palace after dark.” 

“What were you going to say to me? What could I never learn about you?” 

“Forget it, Venus. GO.”  He spun to shout in her face before whipping around with a mournful roar, falling down on all fours to run off toward the darkness, a Beast dressed as a gentleman.

  
She stood there alone, staring in the direction he ran in for longer than she’d be proud to admit. Her heart was heavy, thudding hard against her ribcage. Knots gathered in her stomach, her hands wringing and brows furrowed as she whispered after him.  “I think I’m starting to see you more than you know… Kunzite.” 


	12. Conflict of Sin

Kunzite didn’t reappear near the palace for three days, the incident from the garden was as stifled by his wounded pride as it was by his absence. Jadeite certainly hadn’t heard a word of it from Venus’s lips although he’d noticed that her singing had fallen a little flat as of late, not that she appreciated him telling her so, but he knew enough to blame the Wolf’s absence on that too. He watched the Monster, laden with white fur, drag himself back into the gardens that morning, his clothes tattered and dirty and his pale eyes had lost some of the luster and clarity they’d regained during his brief time back in the palace.

Jadeite slithered toward him as the sun illuminated the fog that rolled over the dew sparkling grass, unsure why the others were so afraid, Kunzite was no more lost and afraid than any of them. His mind was a maelstrom of darkness and torment, one the Snake tried his best to keep himself from peering into for fear of going mad, but sometimes, like that morning, it was just so loud. Jadeite pitied him even, the weight Kunzite carried, so he chose not to pay attention to the way he smelled like blood, or the russet colors staining the snow white fur around his claws and mouth, chose not to antagonize him. 

Perhaps he was afraid of the Wolf after all. 

“Kunzite, come quick. Follow me.”  The Snake lured. his cobalt eyes peering out from the darkness of brambles and bushes in the garden which was becoming ever too cold for him as the days grew short. However, Jadeite had been determined, now more than ever, to unearth the great mystery that bloomed in splotches throughout the winding paths. The pale Beast groaned miserably in his throat, the slow shift of his wild eyes upon him as he listed slowly alongside his slithering, scaled body. 

He led Kunzite toward the familiar rose carved door in the courtyard where Venus had been captured what felt like a lifetime ago, the place where roses had begun to bloom. The scent of the crimson blossoms had been enough to overcast the four of them with the urge to seek solitude from each other and weep in private, a familiar scent that was beautiful and smelled of their past failures as though it had risen from its grave just to haunt them. 

Jadeite wondered then if they’d always taken the surreal beauty of them for granted. 

Kunzite noticed it right away, how it had begun to spill into the courtyard beside it, yet now there were blooms wilting again, retreating back toward the stone door carved with roses and concealing their past so protectively.  “Have you determined what it means?” 

“No. Only that you being away from this place, apart from us, from her, has been the only other symptom of this castle’s mourning in the past few days.”  Jadeite replied, coiling around himself for warmth. His blue eyes bore into him from the corner of his eye but he knew Kunzite would not dare return the gaze, knowing that his serpent’s eyes would read him to serve his own selfish research. Shame was still fresh in Wolf’s mind and the Snake could read it without resorting to the invasion of reading Kunzite’s mind.  “She is lonely, you know. Braves the trek to the library by day and allows Nephrite to fill her nights and Zoisite to fill her mornings…She comes to sing to me sometimes...” 

“And you then? What have you brought her?”  Kunzite sneered, trying not to allow whatever it was inside of him that made him feel like he somehow owned her show. That possessiveness of a Wolf over its prey that rolled off of him and into his jade green scales, a caress hungry with something more like passion. 

Jadeite merely tilted his head, smirking in that way he had that somehow made him look more like a snake than whatever bastardization of a creature that he was.  “Nothing. It was she who brought me to the solarium, gave me a place, so it was not I that brought her anything, but a Goddess that brought something valuable to me. I would have eaten her whole that morning, but it would have been a shame to waste that much beauty. Perhaps I am much like a frog, so when the Princess gifts me with her kiss I can once more become the Prince that I was.” 

Kunzite lifted his brow, giving Jadeite a scathing side eye.  “You have been reading too many fairy tales.” 

“Ah yes, but she enjoys them I found! She finds them ridiculous but hopelessly romantic and tragic.” 

“How fitting.”  He commented grimly, fingering one of the wilting blooms with a long, clawed finger.  “Leave it to the Goddess of Love herself to find beauty in unhappy endings.” 

“In any case,”  Jadeite began with a long yawn and cold shiver.  “I thought it best that you see this now that you’re back from having your temper tantrum. The Sun will rise soon and I am in dire need of a warm nap in my Solarium fountain. Perhaps with any luck, our beautiful guest will wander back into my lair to sing to me with that voice hers.” 

“If I didn’t know any better I’d say you were starting to get attached.”  Kunzite observed as the Snake curled his lips in a sly fashion. 

“And it sounds to me as though YOU are jealous.” 

“Jealous?”  He blinked as though trying to comprehend the word, shifting his eyes back down toward the flower in his grasp and swallowed hard. Jadeite could feel the war in Kunzite’s mind, the sensation that this feeling must be purely territorial, a primal instinct and not an affliction of the heart that young boys feel when they are scorned for another. 

He watched the Wolf clench his hand, and crush the petals of the rose in his fist, and answer all of his questions.  “Yesssss, General. I think you are jealous. You hadn’t left her side unless you had to and even then I see the way you looked at her that night.” 

“She has information that we could use…” Of all of them, Kunzite should have known that he had seen everything. That his mind could penetrate the darkness of his emotions just as well as his cobalt stare. 

“It’s a tired charade Kunzite. I ssssaw you with her, that evening in the garden.” 

He growled and fixed his hostile glare toward him, leaving the emerald Snake less than affected.  “So is you, prying into my head and twisting what I think.” 

“Oh my friend, I have twisted nothing, I haven’t needed to.”  This time when Jadeite smiled there was something genuine in it and Kunzite didn’t dare to read into it more than necessary.  “I think that the moment you saw her, your heart changed.” 

“I can admit that she is beautiful, and I can admire her determination...Nothing more.”  Kunzite growled, clenching the crushed rose in his paw making the sweet scent more pungent in his nose. 

“You may try and lie to me, I will keep your secrets, but perhaps one day you can stop lying to yourself. She is but a rose in your wilted garden.” 

* * *

He turned to address Jadeite’s ridiculous notions with anger, only to find that he’d already disappeared. A slippery sort of specter of the most exhausting nature. Zoisite would be waking her up soon, he thought as he walked toward the tomb’s door, pressing his forehead against the carved rose and pressing the pads of his fingers on the chilled stone. He spoke as though there was someone to listen, and did it more often than he was proud. His chest grew tight and his grey eyes clenched.  “He got these idiot sentiments from you, I hope you know.”

How he wished that familiar voice, so teasing and gentle would scold him back. And force his head to admit all that had begun to bloom in his heart. Perhaps it had already grown vines and thorns and trapped him inside, keeping the denial out. Kunzite’s paw opened, the fragrant scent of rose sweetening the air. Such a beautiful thing, a perfect thing crushed within his grasp, and he thought of Jadeite’s words and wept. 

He couldn’t sleep when he finally made his way back into his room. The day’s pale light peeked in through the thick curtains of his bedroom, and after what felt like hours of staring Kunzite finally resigned to get back up, to dress after a rigorous session of grooming, and strolled back through the empty halls that never quite felt empty toward the library. Part of him hoped she wouldn’t be there and yet the smell of her, wafting between the cracks of the door where the fire crackled in the hearth to keep her company, made him somehow glad that his errant hopes were wrong. 

The door opened silently with barely a press of his paw and Kunzite peeked through the crack to spy her sitting alone in front of the hearth on the floor, books strewn around her like fallen leaves. Venus chewed on the bottom petal of her lip while she read, brows furrowed with her focus, fingers winding in her long golden hair while her blue eyes roved over the words on the page. Zoisite had her dressed in a bustled black skirt and white blouse accented by frilled lace that she’d so scandalously unbuttoned until it was hardly proper, but Kunzite somehow related to a hatred of high, choking collars. 

It did, however, startle her when he walked into the room, not that she was someone who cared about indecency, and frankly he didn’t expect her to. The tension was heavy as he walked forward under the oppression of her stare that he could not break from. It didn’t make it easy the way her face lit up when she saw him, wetting her lips and regaining a bit of propriety with an uneasy shift in her spot, a book still nestled in her lap.  “I… didn’t expect to see you.” 

Kunzite paused in front of her, gazing down with his hardened eyes with the hope that she wouldn’t mention their walk through the gardens. Instead, he’d ask the question he always did.  “Are you displeased by my presence?” 

Her lips lifted, blue eyes soft when she shook her head.  “I am very pleased to see you.” 

He nodded, shifting his eyes away uneasily, taking his seat in the armchair by the fire. Venus visibly relaxed and settled into the comfortable quiet while she read, and for no reason other than to fill the hours that would pass he bent to pick a book up off of the floor and began to read. Time sifted like sand through an hourglass and Kunzite hadn’t realized how late it had grown until he felt her lean against his leg, and he noticed how dark the room had grown around them. 

Her book had mostly fallen from her hands which rested in her lap, her head propped against his knee, breath even and deep. Her eyes were closed when Kunzite leaned forward carefully to observe her, lips gently parted as though they anticipated a kiss. Even the fire dimmed in the hearth, flickering just so over her perfect features that he now studied more intensely than he’d been studying the book still propped in his hand, searching for any sort of flaw in her beauty that he knew he would not find. As though possessed, he found himself reaching with the back of one long finger to brush a bit of hair from her finely sculpted cheek, throat growing dry as his gaze fell lower to her partially open blouse. 

Kunzite pulled his hand away as though she’d burned him the second he saw her long lashes flutter open, blue eyes locking softly with his grey. She smiled but made no move to get up. 

“You’re warm.”  She whispered, voice husked with sleep. 

“It’s late, you should eat if you’ve been at this all day.” 

“Mmm, too tired.”  Venus declared with a yawn, seeming to nestle against him even more. Kunzite swallowed hard, mouth tensing over his deadly teeth while his insides turned on themselves with too much to acknowledge at once, his senses seeming to kick into overdrive, and for once he wanted to blame his animalistic tendencies. 

She’d fallen asleep again, groaning softly when Kunzite stood and gathered her lithe body in his arms, so frail and yet impossible to break. He carried her like a bride through the darkened halls, and she nestled against his chest, delicate fingers winding into his fur, making the skin beneath tingle. He carried her to her room as gently as he could, the dark hearth of the fireplace in her borrowed room sparked to life to warm the room and cast a cozy glow to the dark decor. To keep her warm he made sure to pull the covers up toward her chin, pausing to once more move her endless locks of gold from obstructing her perfect face. It was the only way to describe her beauty and even perfect felt like a dull and redundant word. 

The thought that she was comfortable enough with him to fall asleep while they were alone, even after everything, made him feel so undeserving.  “ I am sor-”

“Well, well, well.”  Zoisite hushed from behind him, once more forcing his hand to retract. He spun on his paw and placed a finger against his mouth to hush him, throwing his glare downward before brushing past the Rat to retreat into the hall.  “And where might you be off to? It’s awful late to be joining the hunt.” 

“I’m getting her some bread and cheese in case she wakes up hungry.”  Kunzite grumbled, feeling Zoisite latch onto his frock coat and climb up onto his shoulder. 

“Ah yes, Nephrite was concerned when she didn’t show up for their usual rendezvous at dinner.” 

“She was researching. She fell asleep.” 

“And YOU didn’t send her down when it became late.”  There was a grin on Zoisite’s voice that made him groan softly in his throat. 

“I do not live by the human’s clock, nor am I responsible for her apparent schedule.” 

“Yes but you live by your own agenda. You no longer abide by our own clock it seems. Time is running out, you know.” 

Kunzite heaved a tired sigh, reminded of just how exhausting his companions could be with their endless prodding. He hadn’t slept much either, these escapades in the library slowly shifting his nocturnal habits toward the sunlight hours when the castle didn’t need his protection as much, and therefore tearing him away from his duties. Not entertaining Zoisite’s previous acknowledgment of his slipping resolve, he growled at himself softly as he entered the kitchen to retrieve a light snack for Venus should she wake up hungry.

Perhaps he had a soft spot for their guest after all. 

Several more days passed them by, and a sort of routine had begun cycling amongst the monsters all vying for the attention of a Goddess. Venus would spend her mornings with Zoisite, allowing him to dress her in finery that had never looked as stunning on any Earthen women Kunzite had ever met, and the two would share an early morning meal. Venus then spent her time charming Jadeite in the solarium, singing and dancing and playing games despite the Snake’s cheating, mind reading ways. Here, Kunzite would then meet her as mid-day approached to escort her to the library where they’d spend most of their day together until dinner when Venus would spend her evenings with Nephrite.

Today, when Kunzite went to meet Venus, he lingered in the shadowy threshold of the solarium to observe her with a heaviness about him. Nature had reclaimed this place of broken fractal windows that welcomed sunlight despite the heavy clouds that threatened to pour a wintery white snow upon them. Trees grew indoors here, along with different grasses and creeping moss and vines which invaded from outside, occupying a great fountain in the center. Her presence was potent here, her scent mingling with the humidity and dampness to create the illusion that he was in fact inhaling some flowery eden, warm with the nurturing Sun. 

Her voice lilted and echoed all around them, her song pouring from her in a language that must have been Venusian while she danced with Zoisite lifted and held tightly in her arms. Surprisingly, the Rat did not fight her and instead appeared to be having a bit of fun. Jadeite was wrapped around a protruding stone from the old fountain, warmed by the Sun with the dreamiest smile on his Serpent’s face. Adoration in those marble-blue eyes.

A slow smile crept its way into his expression, a softness growing within him while he watched the three enjoy themselves. Kunzite wondered when the last time this castle had felt like home, and her voice was like a salve for all of the wounds he’d endured over the years, self inflicted or not, but he felt the weight on his shoulders lighten. The atmosphere of the castle itself seemed to bend around her, becoming homey and comfortable again with its lit candles and warm fires, the scent of delicious food that Kunzite hadn’t smelled in centuries. 

He’d failed miserably over many days to find something about their guest that wasn’t beautiful, and he might have been disappointed that her voice was no exception, but it stirred something in him that challenged his fearlessness because he found himself terrified by how much he yearned to embrace it. Even when he challenged her ideals and vanity, and did often, Venus always surprised him with her answers. 

“Kunzite!”  She greeted breathlessly, setting Zoisite back down on the floor, bounding toward him in a fluttering of burnt orange skirts. Each time she said his name, and had been doing so more frequently, his heart leaped into his throat, forcing him to swallow it back down.  “Sorry, I must have lost track of time.”

“You may stay if you wish.”  Kunzite offered, half wishing she would forget she ever saw him if only to hear her sing some more, but she shook her head. 

“We really must keep digging, we’ve learned very little after everything, but I am understanding why an entity from the Sun would target a planet like this…” 

Kunzite frowned, words that he wanted to say dying in his mouth before he could ever explain how very little she did know. It wasn’t fair to allow her to lose hope just because he had. “If you insist.” 

The halls filled with her chatter. Something that once grated on his ears filled the space of the abandoned passageways leading toward the library like a symphony of swooning violins. For once he saw what had captivated the palace all around them, the way it all came to life, lighting up, the statues and paintings, entire rooms, all living and breathing just for her. Kunzite understood with each passing day why the others had grown so attached, so addicted to her presence, and as they walked along the stacks and rows of books, her slender fingers caressed the spines of each one. He had a mind to shiver for them at such a touch, most often reserved for those of lovers that made him try to remember the last time he’d been given such an affection himself. 

“So I was thinking… since the Silver Crystal won’t be of any help, if you knew anything about the Golden Crystal...” 

His every hair stood on end, but Kunzite maintained himself the best he could. Not that his voice was very welcoming, mostly with a hope that she’d ask no further questions.  “Remember those things I told you were best left alone?” 

“Oh come on Kunzite, I truly think that this entity was drawn here by its power. You know, the way the Sun’s energy is absorbed by the Earth, drawn to its very soil by the minerals and elements that consume it. The thought came to me in the solarium, the way Jadeite seems to feed on the few rays of the Sun we see...the way the plants grow there, and surely you’ve seen the way the gardens have begun to bloom.” 

“I’ve seen it.”  He grumbled, still unsure what exactly was the cause for it. Kunzite knew it had to do with Venus, for the more she interacted with them, with the palace, the more roses burst into bloom.  “But as you claim your Silver Crystal is useless, our Golden one is far worse for wear.” 

“But-”

“Please, do not ask me anything further.”  A soft, pleading tone complimented the sorrow he felt for all of it, and for the moment Venus seemed resigned to accept it, even when he could see the want to push him further tensing at her lips and hardening in her blue eyes. This time, Kunzite dared to touch her, brushing his fingers over hers, still splayed over the binding of some old books. It was just barely a touch, one he withdrew when she inhaled softly and an odd sensation tingled up his arm. Sighing, he kept his gaze averted and turned to walk back toward the waiting fire. 

Venus joined him shortly, an advanced book on Earthen magic clutched to her chest. One that would put her to sleep later, her head resting shamelessly against his knee as the shadows grew longer, deeper, and even the fire threatened to reduce itself to embers in the hearth. She’d missed dinner again, and he’d missed the hunt, but Kunzite couldn’t bear to move her. To lose this contact with beauty that he consumed so selfishly, even when he was far from deserving of it. 

Carrying her to bed would be his greatest honor that day. To feel those fingers curl into the fur at his chest, to lose himself in the scent of her hair. Oh, he dreaded this feeling. A monster that deserved his hideous fate, to live eternally with the knowledge of his failures, his betrayals was ill fit to hold onto such a gift as holding a Goddess in his arms for the few minutes he was able. 

Zoisite didn’t meet him that night, and yet Kunzite lurked through the dark hallways that no longer lit up for his passing, and when he made his way to the kitchen with his keen eyes that were made to see through the darkness, it was Nephrite to greet him. His mouth was a tight lipped scowl, two different colored eyes fixed and hardened with bitterness that screamed his territorial nature. Kunzite felt protective suddenly, his every instinct going on defense in knowing that Nephrite, above them all, had yearned for Venus’s attention. 

“She has missed three dinners in a week.” 

Kunzite rolled his grey eyes toward the ceiling and moved forward to gather a few food items for the girl in case she woke up hungry, as he did each night she fell asleep in his company.  “She is working hard to find a way back to her people. A reason for all of … this.” 

“You’re the moron allowing her to believe such things are possible. You know it has to do with the gardens.”  Nephrite shifted forward in his seat, boring his eyes into his back.  “The stars have spoken it.” 

“The stars have told you that she is the reason the gardens bloom? We knew that. What other reason would there be? Your stars aren’t exactly helpful. They could have told us how to end this centuries ago if they didn’t spout such cryptic nonsense.”  Kunzite muttered, turning to lean against the counter, eyes narrowed back at his companion.  “Your jealousy is unbecoming.” 

Scoffing, Nephrite leaned back, folding his clawed fingers over his stomach.  “And your savagery? Do you think I don’t know how you hoard her away in the library? Letting her seek answers that you know she won’t find because you somehow feel entitled to her?” 

“I am not proud of how I acted but was MY prisoner after all. If there are answers to be found, I want to hear them from her lips.”  Kunzite grimaced at the words, almost hoping what he was feeling was territorial, possessive in nature. 

“And Venus is a friend. MY friend from before any of this destroyed our world and I think if there was one of us that she’d trust, it would be me.” Nephrite said, further grumbling his next statement with passive aggressive bitterness. “Answers are far from all you would like to receive from her lips…” 

“So you buy her trust with jewels that you’ve stolen from the dead? Robbed the rooms of those who won’t come back to claim them just so you can buy her trust with riches she has no use for?” 

“It is certainly better than clawing it out of her.”  Nephrite glared, and Kunzite nearly burst into crazed laughter. The idea of two beasts together in a kitchen fighting over a woman seemed suddenly ludicrous to him and yet his face remained a Wolfish mask of hostility. Two territorial animals with narrowed gazes locked, unwilling to relent. 

Kunzite took an aggressive step forward, glowering down at the Lion who as always was so aloof, so cocky about his own self importance.  “Remember that time you killed a Lion? All for the sake of earning a trophy to further place yourself in the limelight? This is not the same, she is no trophy to be caught! Perhaps the reason you’re haunted by your own reflection.” 

“I never said she was.”  Nephrite bit through clenched teeth, eyes scathing up at him from a face chosen by fate’s punishment. That of the very lion he’d killed for the sport of wearing the beast’s fur. Now, he didn’t have a choice. 

“I’m not so sure why you’re arguing. She likes me better than both of you combined.”  Zoisite quipped from behind him, forcing Kunzite to break the staredown with Nephrite to peer where the Rat was busy eating the cheese he’d just gathered for their guest. 

“How do you figure that? Surely she wants more than just a foot tall rodent that ties up her corsets.”  Nephrite laughed his boisterous purring laugh but Kunzite remained unamused by all of it. 

“She talks to me.”  Zoisite shrugged, pawing a few crumbs from his whiskers,  “Besides, what woman can resist a man with great fashion taste?” 

“You’re a rat. In case you forgot.” 

“And you’re jealous, Nephrite.”  He mused, turning his beady green stare up toward Kunzite,  “And YOU, need to apologize. Jadeite seems to think the gardens have everything to do with the time you’re spending with her… sorry Neph but I think Kunzite has been good for our situation and I’m curious to see what remorse for his savagery would do for the situation. I know you can hear his heart beat faster at the mention of her name. I can.” 

“Goodnight.”  Kunzite growled, storming out of the room without the prepared food, telling himself that all of it was a symptom of instinct. She was his prisoner, an informant, and he would not be bought by a pretty face, he reminded himself. Not that he could deny that her sensuous curves and graceful movements weren’t enticing, her laugh like music, and her vanity held little sway over her opinions. 

The door to his room slammed behind him and each time he expected to enter a pristine and proper suite, only to find gnawed bones and tattered drapes, clawed wood and symptoms of rage he wished he didn’t still feel coursing through his blood. One thing remained unchanged, however, a proud white tunic adorned across the chest with a pristine red sash of thick satin, a royal symbol of his Knighthood. A symbol that meant little to him truly, and yet he fingered the smooth fabric briefly before removing it: a symbol of who he used to be. 

Something he could apologize for. A token he could apologize with. 


	13. Painstrokes on Canvas

Kunzite seemed different, quieter if that were possible, like a pale phantom lurking through the rows of books so silently that in long stretches of emptiness, she’d forgotten he was there. She’d been at it all day and the afternoon beginning to fade into the dull light of evening, the book nestled in her lap growing heavier, and the words within starting to run together and lose all meaning. Venus huffed, too stubborn to admit to even herself that she missed the warmth of the Beast’s stoney presence in the empty armchair beside her. She turned, blinking her dry and tired eyes to peer back towards the Wolf who hunched awkwardly at the desk across the room. 

Venus frowned, standing to try and brush the wrinkles out of the layers of taffeta in her skirts before making her way toward the tall windows beside him on feet leaden from sitting too long. Only his ears shifted toward her awkward movements without earning the attention of his eyes, and a part of her was glad for this, but also frustrated by his brooding silence and distance. Poor company to keep for someone who was supposed to be keeping her company.

“Is something wrong?”  She asked, peering down at the snow dusted courtyard below. 

Kunzite breathed deep and sat back, staring toward the fire she’d abandoned across the room as though she were still there and not standing close enough that her arm nearly brushed his own.  “Nothing has changed. No better. No worse.” 

“The roses are still blooming. Even in this cold, they are coming to life, other flowers too. There are courtyards of them, as though Spring has defied the Winter.” 

“Don’t search for miracles where there are none. There is a reason for it.” 

His  blasé tone made her eyes roll toward him, annoyed by his ever bleak, forever rational explanations. Hand on her hip, Venus leaned toward him with a smug smirk tugging at her lips.  “I never said anything about miracles, but you should at least be optimistic. Flowers very seldom have dark connotations.” 

Finally, Kunzite slid his eyes toward her, a cold glare that had once frozen her blood in fear, now caused an icy thrill to shoot down her spine.  “Plants are not sentient. I told you that there is an enchantment at play here, and it could be dangerous. There is nothing good beyond these palace walls, do you not understand that?” 

She felt like a child being scolded and tore her gaze from his, warmth spreading from her cheeks down to her neck, thankfully concealed by her dress.  “That’s perhaps the only thing you’ve made clear about what’s happening in this castle.” 

“It’s for your own protection.” 

“I don’t need your protection, I need your honesty. I can protect myself.”  She threw back with a calmness that surprised her.  “I need to go home.” 

Kunzite growled, causing her to jump with the abruptness in which he stood up and made the chair he sat in clatter to the floor behind him. Her widened eyes met his, breath panting against her cheek through his leathery nose when he loomed in close, glaring with those wild grey eyes.  “ **_This_ ** is your home now.” 

With that he turned away, stalking noisily toward the door in a manner that rattled the windows and shook the bookshelves lining the walls, unlike the silent footfalls he’d been treading all day. Venus took a hurried step to follow him, unsure what offense she’d caused him this time, and reached out to try and grab the dark frock coat he’d chosen to wear.  “Where are you going? It’s still early.” 

“The hunt.”

“But Kunzite-”

The door slammed hard after him, making the entire library jump in alarm from the sound that echoed through it. Venus was no exception, of course, the jarring sound making her wince before deflating in despair when the windows stopped rattling and the room fell back into a deafening silence. Dinner was still hours away and she’d done so much reading about boring things and finding answers for nothing she was seeking. She’d hoped to escape the library in favor of a stroll through the gardens, or even seeing more of this palace that she’d barely scraped the surface of exploring. 

The thought came as a mischievous gleam in her eyes and expanded into her smile which spread only subtly since Venus still felt guilty for upsetting her wolfish companion. Thankfully, she hadn’t been lonely these past weeks, so the idea of exploring the palace on her own didn’t frighten her the way it had before, though the fire blazed brightly in the fireplace a moment as if discouraging her thoughts. Not that she was one to listen once her mind was set on doing something. 

The fire’s light waned into a pile of embers, snuffing itself out to cast foreboding darkness throughout the library behind her as she poked her head out into the hall. She glanced both ways to make sure she was alone before stepping out into the open, a bundle of excitement and worry weighing like a rock in her stomach when she headed in the direction of the hallway she hadn’t traveled before. 

At first, it was a good sign, so she thought, that the sconces along the walls and candles resting on side tables illuminated her way as she passed until the grand foyer on the main floor shined its multi-colored light toward her from down the hall. The candles in the chandeliers lining the corridor began flickering to life, casting an eerie glow up and down the entryway that felt like it went on forever. She could see that there had once been golden accents inlaid within the intricate stonework and wooden carvings, the tapestries once vibrant had faded with age depicting detailed scenery, royal crests of golden roses, and once more, the compass. 

Between the castle’s main entryway framed between two winding staircases, she found a set of double doors left open where they’d normally been left closed. She’d never paid much attention to them until she peeked inside, finding a ballroom that could only be described as ostentatious. Crystals glittered faintly in the chandelier that remained dark, the room only lit through more stained glass adorning the tops of the tall windows still mostly concealed by thick royal blue curtains, Elysian blue is what they called it. Her blue eyes followed the rays of light falling on the polished floor, just on the center which had been tiled with exotic stones in four directions, a pattern she realized made up yet another compass rose. 

A cold and empty tone reverberated through the grand room that Venus could envision being so warm once upon a time, crowded with beautiful men and women raptured by festive celebrations. Perhaps the bodies that once occupied the trio of empty thrones resting at the head of the room had once made the room even warmer. Given them something to celebrate. 

She glossed over the rest, the shadows seeming to shift with intelligence like some dark specter made her blood ice over, the urge to run forcing her to slowly back out of the oppressive room and back out into the hallway. A voice seemed to whisper in her mind,  _ ‘Not here, you’ll find no answers here.’  _

Venus thought about turning back, going to the kitchen for water to soothe her dry throat, but something whispered, seemed to draw her toward the stairs leading up into the second level. The route was familiar, she’d find the branch that led toward her rooms this way, surprised that her sense of adventure did not veer her toward the wings of the palace she hadn’t seen yet. She peeked her head into empty bedrooms, storage rooms, and offices until doors started creaking closed instead of open as if to say  _ ‘No, no, nothing you seek is here’  _ until the enchantment faded entirely to stagnant, deafening, silence. 

Her skin came alive with chills, noting how the halls grew darker because less and less, the candles chose to light her way, and the enchantment of the palace began to melt into the darkness that followed. She began to notice the vandalism, the labyrinth of hallways strewn with broken furniture, ripped up paintings, and broken statues. Even the marble floors were scratched viciously with claws and the tapestries seemed to be eaten by rats. The mirrors had all been shattered, leaving glittering bits of glass and splintered wood splayed like confetti throughout the halls, crunching loudly under her slippers. 

The Sun had dipped below the horizon leaving only the faintest of Moonlight to guide her as she came to another junction in the hallway. The Moon’s rays fell upon two of the largest double doors she’d ever seen, highlighting the carved entryway to a wing of the palace marked by the ever mysterious symbol of a compass. 

“They are everywhere and yet they expect me not to ask.”  Venus muttered to herself, running her fingers over the large symbol marred by a deep set of claw marks, disrupting the carved rays of a setting or rising Sun, though she supposed it depended on individual interpretation. She frowned, lifting her eyes to study the artisan’s craftsmanship of it with a sense of foreboding knotting at her stomach. They’d all warned her that doors marked by this symbol were forbidden, and while everything inside of her mind, that tension at the base of her spine told her to turn away, but there was more than just her curiosity telling her to move forward. 

As an oath abiding Goddess she hated going back on her word, and Venus had promised to stay away from the doors marked by this symbol. While the Beasts that dwelled within the palace appeared to be her friends, it seemed they were very much so, their true intentions were also often masked. No enchantment reached this point, at least no whimsical sparks of magic she’d encountered in most areas of the palace, telling by the way a chill crept in on the air and the darkness came to life and breathed its icy breath down her neck. Invisible hands pushed the door to the compass marked hallway open a crack, a silent invitation. 

“It had better be worth betraying their trust…”  Venus whispered to herself, a mournful sigh passing through her lips as she pushed open the forbidden doors in search of answers she knew that they had to conceal.

The wing was smaller than she’d imagined, five rooms in total with two on each side and a larger one concealed by more double doors positioned at the end of the hall. The first room she peeked into was destroyed. The furniture was smashed, the ground littered with mirrored glass and bones, tattered drapes, and ruined paintings littered the space leaving nothing but a shredded four-poster bed. The only item left untouched and pristine was a fine gold telescope pointed patiently out the exposed window. 

The room across the hall was practically untouched, still fine and left clean aside from the literal nest of snake skins long enough to span the length of the entire hallway, it was enough for her to stumble out of the skin cluttered room in terror. Venus felt her chest constrict at the realization of who these rooms belonged to, and the danger of what would happen to her if she were found trespassing in such personal territory of already territorial Beasts. But something, someone, wanted her to keep going.

The room beside Jadeite’s was quite obviously Zoisite’s given the ornate nature of the furnishings now littered with collections of small trinkets and tiny baubles, along with a collection of mechanical bits and pieces that glittered in the darkness. They filled the space, useless but beautiful things that gleamed in the light, distracting from the rat chewed draperies and blankets sprawled across the bed. The woodwork was scratched, and the walls were punctured by smaller openings that only a smaller rodent could squeeze through for a multitude of passageways that she could only assume allowed Zoisite to know everything that took place in the entire palace. Well… almost everything. 

Venus did not want to linger there any longer than she had to. She hesitated to peek into the final room, knowing who it belonged to, and just as she reached out to touch the golden knob, the double doors to that final room she’d spied at the end of the hall swung open a little wider. Another silent invitation. Curiosity made her forget Kunzite’s room in favor of this seemingly new enchantment, though it felt so different this time. She didn’t want to think about ghosts or spirits, it was bad enough that ancient Gods were falling from the Sun to destroy their entire universe, so Venus accepted the invitation, come what may, and stepped into yet another library.

This library was different, more intimate, and well worn like an old shoe. The shelves were plain and splintered and there weren’t nearly as many as the library she’d been spending her days in. The books resting on them were ancient and dusty, the scent of them filling the air with musk mingling with a myriad of scents both old and new but not unpleasant. Scrolls were crammed in some of them, and maps, all hand drawn and meticulous. 

There was a small alcove by one of the windows near another door that seemed to lead directly into Kunzite’s chambers. It was fitted with an elegant desk, worn and heavily used, cluttered with parchments and unfinished documents alongside an old coffee cup as though someone had only stepped away for a brief moment, never to return. Venus started there, she could assume who this desk belonged to, and as she shuffled through the many papers she found all manners of trade agreements topped with military depositions all written in frantic scroll. Final cries for use of the Golden Crystal before the Earth had been consumed by the darkness. 

“You knew…”  She whispered accusingly down at the ink splotched letter in her hands. She had to squint to make out the words, only the very faint light of the moon spilling across the desk’s surface to read by.  “Or did this reach you too late for you to act?”  She frowned, so many more questions racing in her mind. Questions she knew Kunzite would never answer. He’d likely rather die, or get angry and lock her back down in the dungeon, or worse if he knew where she was. Even if she kept the questions vague, he’d only tell her it was too late to dwell on things well out of his control.  “HIS control.”  Venus huffed quietly, plopping the documents back on the desk.  “It’s a good thing I’m not relying on him.” 

The hour grew late, she wasn’t sure just how late, only that time was rapidly dwindling before it was likely for one of the Beasts to search for her. So she stepped further into the room, between rows of shelves, back toward a fireplace with very little light to guide her. Her fingers brushed upon the frayed spines of books, and as she touched a specific one, the weakest fire flickered to life in the hearth, allowing Venus just enough light to read the words. 

She was careful to open the worn and fragile book, an expansive family tree sprawling across the inner pages back to the days of old Gods when the planet Earth had been born. She didn’t pay much mind to it, carefully flipping through pages as eons of history sprawled out among the pages. As she feared, the Beasts were hiding the deepest darkest secrets of Elysium behind the warning of a symbol that indeed was once important to their royal structure. Four Kings of Heaven to rule their poles and equators, a compass of power to rally behind the legendary city of Elysium to lend their strengths and magic to uplift the wielder of the Golden Crystal, the Earth’s Senshi; Endymion. 

Now, she knew the fact that Earth’s legendary warrior had been born a male was strange but found it much stranger still that the entirety of the planet’s structure was laid out like the rest of their entire galaxy. It HAD to mean something, so against her better judgment, Venus tucked the book under her arm and prepared to make her escape back toward her room, knowing Nephrite had probably long noticed her absence at dinner. She could traipse down to the kitchen later no doubt, but this was too important for her to leave behind. 

When she turned to leave, her eye fell upon a portrait nestled above the fireplace, left intact as a shrine to a Prince she hadn’t seen in hundreds of years. His blue eyes, kind and even teasing, peered out into the room beneath dark hair from a frame of carved golden roses. Venus stared too long perhaps, feeling a longing tug on her heart suddenly as though he were standing in that very room with her, but that was impossible. Longing that belonged not to her, but maybe her Princess? 

The sound of something falling behind her jarred her from the overwhelming sensations that had begun to embrace and consume her as though they belonged to someone else. She turned, finding that a painting that had propped against the wall had fallen over, just beneath two other portraits still hanging strategically among the bookshelves. She felt drawn to them, but they were horribly ruined, slashed through by claws, and knocked off center, the one on the floor seemingly had been ripped clean off the wall in a fit of rage.

Familiar eyes greeted hers when she lifted the thing, one brown, one blue, a sword reflecting the stars of a night sky and a man with flowing locks of wavy chestnut stood proudly in his uniform accented by another familiar face. The painting was torn, so her fingers splayed over the frayed edges to try and complete the picture. The head of a lion accented his cape, the lush mane of the creature draping and mingling with his own hair like they were one and the same, a proud image of the Nightwatchman she remembered, and perhaps even loved. Finding real love had always been something she’d denied and brushed off with the promise of her neverending duties, something she had hoped to one day find in Nephrite’s friendship, but as she gazed upon the handsome face before her, she felt conflicted. 

Leaning the portrait against the wall, she glanced up at the next tattered frame, and upon recognition her eyes filled with tears. There wasn’t much left of the portrait, just one long lashed green eye, piercing and sharp, and the hints of soft russet blonde waves. It could have been a woman for all she knew, but something in her screamed Zoisite’s name, and she lifted her fingers to trace over the remnants of his painted hand as it folded over the hilt of a jewel-encrusted sword. 

The eyes were gone entirely from the next one, and Venus couldn’t bring herself to feel much for the mop of blonde waves and quirked lips that she had to pull the canvas up to see. She could guess that this was Jadeite all she wanted but there was nothing about him now conclusive enough for her to make that assumption except the wickedness of his smirked lips. Nothing but a ring on his pinky finger, the same color of jade that made up the Snake’s skin now. 

The wall was empty where Venus assumed the fourth portrait was meant to hang. Something about it made her feel glad, unsure if she could bear to see those grey eyes belonging to anyone other than the Wolf. It would make the night that their eyes locked from across the foggy moor too real, too intimate. He’d seen her in her most vulnerable state wearing nothing more than a mask of fear, the armor she always wore peeled back revealing more than just her flesh. He’d truly seen her, the fear and pity, the desperation, the helplessness, and she’d seen him at his most primitive. She’d seen just how bloodsoaked he truly was. 

And after that night, Kunzite had brought her the rabbit. 

She gathered the book from the table she left it on, hugging it tightly to her chest, ready to make the move to leave when she saw something shift in the corner of her eye. It was there, of course it was. A painting in a frame that matched the others had been tucked away in a strange manner, hidden behind a shelf to be forgotten among the dust. She didn’t want to look, and yet Venus wet her dry lips and knew that she needed to. 

As though she’d been possessed, she approached the portrait as though she had no other choice, setting the book in her hands aside as she kneeled on the floor to set the frame upright. This time the breath she inhaled was audible.

His eyes were the same. Sharp, as grey as storm clouds and just as heavy. There was weight in them, command in them, and Venus was a bit shocked to learn that his hair was indeed the same silvery white color of his fur, skin tawny and sun kissed but she could decipher little else. More frantic than she thought she’d be, her fingers struggled to pull together the slashed pieces of the canvas. To try and see what his lips were like, his nose, how long did he wear his hair? Suddenly she wanted, needed to know all of it.

“We told you not to come here.”  A calm voice interrupted her, forcing her back, spinning to greet the impossibly large form of the Lion behind her. The painting in her hands had fallen noisily to the hardwood floor, and her hands ached for it.  “You didn’t come to dinner. You weren’t in your room. I feared, but I think I knew you’d come here. Eventually.” 

“I am sorry Nephrite, I never wanted to betray your trust…Yours least of all.” 

“And yet you did.”  His voice was calm, though Venus could hear the very suppressed rage within it.  “I can’t say that I blame you. You always were a curious sort. One to search for answers with a determination that I dare say I’ve always envied. Did you find what you were searching for?”

“I… I think there must be something here. Earth’s entire history is here, in truths that aren’t revealed in the other books I’ve read.”  Scrambling, Venus plucked the book up off the floor and stood, daring to come closer to the Beast with trust that he wouldn’t harm her. She gazed through the darkness into his bi-colored eyes, seeing remnants of his face fade a little into that of the lion once ornamenting his cloak.  “If you wanted my help, why would you hide such things from me?” 

“Because...I wanted to know if you could ever feel for…if you could ever love-”  Nephrite tore his eyes to the side and brushed past her, further into the smaller library.  “Nevermind. It doesn’t matter now. You may find what you are seeking here but I promise the needed tools are no longer accessible.” 

“Nephrite-” 

“I thought of myself as such a brave explorer, you know. Handsome and daring, unstoppable. A God.”  Venus clamped her mouth shut and followed him a few steps, noting that he’d stopped in front of what was left of his own portrait.  “I killed the king of beasts to prove myself. To let everyone know that the King of the West was not one to trifle with.”  Nephrite chuckled deeply in his throat, bitterly as he frowned at the ruined artwork.  “I needed to prove that I was as powerful as him, as feared and respected as the leader of Earth’s armies. To prove that my nobility was somehow worth more than his, and so I killed that Lion with my bare hands.” 

“Why did you feel the need to prove anything? You were the Western direction of the Compass… a King of Heaven…you were equals.” 

Nephrite nodded, lips pulling downward over his powerful jaws. “Pride is a terrible sin when it consumes you. My lands have always battled his in the Middle East, so I suppose it was a natural rivalry from the beginning. He had always been placed on a pedestal without ever asking for it, without even wanting to be, which made it all the more infuriating. He’d always been so loved by our Prince,”  The words came as though he forced them from his mouth, pain lacing within each syllable. Venus had never heard any of them talk about Endymion directly and none ever dared to say his name. But she knew.  “I suppose we loved him just as much as our Prince did… looked up to him enough that we followed him into Hell itself. Even I, despite our differences, would have died for him. I fear that even now, we’d do the same all over again.” 

Her hand curled around his palm, breathing a relieved breath when Nephrite curled his hand around hers. He wouldn’t look at her, but she studied the pain in his eyes, the sorrow that furrowed his brow.  “The mirrors…” 

“You would do the same if your face had become the mask of your own sin. A reaction to the madness that consumes us all in measured moments. This is why we keep our distance. Why we can’t bear to look at each other for too long. Let alone ourselves.”

“It doesn’t matter Nephrite, love is never a sin and it shouldn’t be why you stay apart. If anything I have seen you all together often as of late. There is so much love...” 

“Because of you.”  Nephrite turned his eyes down at her, the pad of his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand.  “I don’t think that he ever would have come back to us if it weren’t for you.” 

“Well, he would have killed me if it weren’t for you so I’d say we’re both to blame.”  Venus smiled, hoping to reassure him.  “It is okay to love him. To want him, all of them, around.” 

“I suppose if nothing else, this affliction that has befallen us along with the hope you've brought here will only strengthen our loyalties to each other. I do hope you see that you’ve given that back to us.” 

“Well, not all of you.”  She smiled up through her lashes at him, offering a shrug in response. 

Nephrite released the gentle grasp on her hand and gently slipped the book away from her.  “Kunzite is hard, impossible, to read. I’m sure it’s there and he just doesn’t realize it yet. But really, you shouldn’t be here. You should leave before someone else sees you. Your scent alone will be nearly impossible to cover up.” 

Venus frowned, eyeing the huge book now dwarfed in his hand.  “Surely they won’t notice if you let me-” 

Nephrite cut her off with his slowly shaking head, eyeing her all too knowingly. She watched baffled as he put it back exactly where she’d found it.  “Zoisite will see it. He might be tiny but you certainly don’t want to get on the other side of his temper. There is dinner for you in the kitchen… and I expect you won’t try to revisit this place. If Kunzite would have been the one to find you I’m almost certain you would have ended up right back where you started. Maybe worse.” 

“He places too much faith in his temper.” 

“He values trust. Loyalty. You would have broken that in his mind, and I would rather he not hurt you out of rage. It is part of his own demons you see, and I don’t think that he’d ever forgive himself for losing control again.” 

Venus nodded, frowning with a final glance to the side toward the grey eyes that peered back at her from the canvas. Momentarily she tried to memorize what she could of the hints at his wintery hair and the implication of his deeper complexion that intensified his pale painted stare. She turned to leave again, the oppressiveness of the dark lessened by the comfort of Nephrite’s presence.  “Goodnight… and thank you for not being angry with me.” 

“I wanted to be.”  Nephrite admitted, his pale eye seeming to gleam through the dark far more than the brown.  “But given that we’ve been less than forward with our intentions for you, I’ll just say that for now, we are even.” 

Venus swallowed hard, nodding resolutely before walking briskly back down the hall the way she came, only pausing to glance into the darkened room belonging to Kunzite. A brief tribute to his savagery, there were heaps of bones and broken furniture, the same as Nephrite’s, and yet she couldn’t help but want to explore it more if she’d had the time. But she clenched her jaw and quickly left the Compass marked hallway, keeping the secrets of all she’d read about to herself without divulging any details of what she had learned.


	14. Lost and Found

She hadn’t slept, not well anyway, because every time she closed her eyes she found herself trying to dream about that man in the painting, what he looked like before the curse had twisted his appearance, leaving only those piercing eyes unchanged. They haunted her, and in her waking moments, her mind raced with all that she’d learned that evening, guilt roiling in her stomach as she gazed out at the darkness beyond her bed while she tried to put the pieces all together. 

She knew things about the Golden Crystal that might in fact be telling about Metalia’s intentions, and why the Silver Crystal might be so important to her. A balance of limitations of each that might grant the demon absolute power. Venus pondered those telegrams and maps sprawled all over that desk, depositions of war that made her think that maybe earth had more of a forewarning of Metalia’s wrath than they let on. From what Nephrite said, she feared that Kunzite was the one withholding information, but that line was blurred. Perhaps he merely received those notices too late. 

She started to scheme about ways that she could sneak back into that library undetected about the time Zoisite came bombarding into her room, his bossy tone forcing her out of bed while he dragged a new dress for her across the floor. “I ate your dinner last night. I’d say I hope you don’t mind but I really don’t care since you decided not to show up, yet again.” 

“Sorry.”  Venus began groggily, quickly throwing back the covers and rushing toward him with tears suddenly brimming in her eyes. She lifted him into her arms, leaving the yellow gown on the floor to hug the Rat to her chest. It took all she had not to burst into inconsolable sobs. One green eye, and russet blonde hair were all she knew of who he was once upon a time and it opened up a hollow spot inside of her. One she so wished she could fill with the rest of that ruined painting’s image.  “Oh Zoi, I’m so sorry.” 

“It…. it was only dinner, Ishara...”  Zoisite stuttered, his voice was softer than she’d ever heard it, and as he spoke her name she knew he was genuine. Venus stroked his wiry fur and blinked away her tears. Oh if only she could tell him what she knew now! That she’d seen pieces of him! Yet he was the one trying to console her, when all she wanted to do was save him, to feel his human arms around her.  “It’s okay. It’s really okay, please don’t cry..” 

“Of course it is.”  She lied, sniffling and finally setting him back down on the floor with a teary gaze. Confusion gleamed in his grassy green eyes, emotion as though he could feel what she was feeling. Venus forced a smile, wiping away any lingering tears, and strode across the room to take her place at the vanity in order to begin the tedious task of brushing her long golden hair.  “I just got lost exploring last night is all.” 

“All by yourself?” 

She laughed, turning to peer at Zoisite over her shoulder.  “I don’t need a nanny, you know. Though I think a nursemaid’s uniform would look just precious on you.” 

“You truly think that you’re funny, don’t you?”  He spat without a bit of amusement.  “We’ll leave your hair down today, I think it will suit this frock just fine. Not to mention I would rather not waste my time fixing the hair of someone who wants to dress me up as her nurse. Or some DOLL. The  _ nerve _ .” 

She did laugh at this, spinning on her vanity’s bench to pick him back up into her arms. “I don’t recall you complaining about me carrying you.” Venus kissed his cheek and plopped him beside her on the bench so he could crawl onto the vanity to gain the proper height to help her with yet another corset. If she didn’t know any better she’d say he actually became bashful.

Zoisite had just finished lacing her corset when there was a knock at her door. Fear gripped her that perhaps one of them found out about her previous night’s explorations, or that Nephrite had changed his mind in not displaying his anger though when the knock came again it was anything but mad. She exchanged a puzzled look with Zoisite and headed to answer. The morning was still very young, too early for any of her other hosts to be seeking her attention. 

Venus felt her insides all leap into her throat the moment the door swung open and she met grey eyes. Eyes she’d spent all night trying not to ponder. She’d least expected to see Kunzite this early, least of all dressed after a long night of hunting without blood staining the fur around his mouth and claws which were well groomed and pristine. Only then could she see a silvery quality to his fur as it caught the morning light, a similar shade to the painting she couldn’t quite piece together. It was him though, seeing his eyes, sharp but nearly clear, left her without any doubts. 

“Good morning.”  He greeted first when she’d stared too long. Kunzite peered into her room over her shoulder studiously a moment before meeting her eyes with intentions that settled heavily into her stomach.  “Are you alone? May I speak with you?” 

“Oh,” Venus began, spinning back to find that Zoisite was gone before further opening her door so Kunzite could crouch through it. “Good morning, of course you can. I suppose Zoisite grew impatient with me and left.” 

“Well, he’s left you a vision, if I may say so.”  He commented, barely looking at her as he walked toward the windows, his tail swaying with each step. Venus became nervous about what he had to say, surely he wouldn’t react so calmly if he knew what she’d been up to. Nephrite alluded that his temper would have been violent. 

“Thank you.”  She wrung her hands in front of her, sidling toward him.  “What did you want to speak about?” 

“I wanted to apologize.” 

Without meaning to, her eyes shot wide open, watching the submissive shift of his ears and the very mild droop of his tail.  “Oh…” 

“Not just for my behavior yesterday, but for everything.”  Venus could tell it was hard, but Kunzite turned to face her. He kept his clawed hands clenched behind his back and yet there was a sincerity in his eyes that made the guilt rip through her stomach and flutter in her heart. Surely he could hear it.  “I want you to know that I will never cause you any harm again. That I’d like to make it up to you if I can. If you’ll let me. I wanted you to know that I… I care for you.” 

“I- I’m glad.”  Venus swallowed, unable to properly respond to the way her chest tightened and her heart thundered loudly in her ears. She’d never seen the Wolf grow bashful before, even though he remained solemn she could see it in the way he shifted his eyes.  “I mean, thank you. Of course I can forgive you.” 

“You can?”  He asked with the first bit of hope she’d ever heard from him. She didn’t even retract when his hand reached for hers and very carefully he smoothed the calloused pad of his thumb over her palm, tracing the curve so delicately. There was a brightness to this moment that seemed to lift within the room. A veil of something tangible and throbbing in her chest. 

“Yes. You have cared for me, after all. Brought me meat when I was half starved, broke the autonomy of my days with your company. I am grateful for the use of your library as well.” 

“I have another gift. It is no strand of pearls or jewels but…”  Kunzite moved behind her, and in a show of perfect trust, Venus did not flinch when she felt his claws begin to sift through her hair, scraping not unpleasantly against her scalp. He gathered the silken strands into his long fingers, and she found her eyes fluttering shut at the feeling as the thick curtain was pulled back and away from her face.  “There. I was right, it suits you.” 

Turning, she met his fixed stare a moment before heading toward her vanity to find that he’d tied a sash of the most vibrant crimson into her golden hair which had been elegantly swept halfway back into a fine bow. The color made the blue of her eyes more intense in shade and gave her pale skin a healthier glow aside from the flush that rose from her neck and up into her cheeks.  “It is lovely. Thank you.” 

“I liked the way you wore your hair like this. It shows your face better.”  Venus felt her face grow even hotter under the weight of his admiring stare until he turned away with a clearing of his throat.  “In any case, I thought that you might like it.” 

“It’s perfect.”  She smiled, turning toward him to wrap her hands around his arm.  “I’ll never take it off.” 

The bold statement made Kunzite’s ears tense, and he looked down at her nervously with another twitch of his tail behind them.  “It’s not much.” 

“Nonsense. A token of affection of any nature is worth more than any jewel. Besides, on Venus, the gift of a red tie or ribbon is very symbolic of the powerful link between two souls.”  Venus laughed softly, watching his expression shift uneasily.  “I know that wasn’t your intent, but as a Venusian native I only meant that your gift is appreciated.”

“I see… well… we should get you down for breakfast.”  Kunzite led her toward the door, immediately shifting the subject away from matters of the heart. 

“Will you be joining me?” 

“If you’d like.”  He replied in that deep, calm voice that Venus swore came much smoother than it had in days prior. 

“Very much.”  She responded, gazing up at his wolfish profile while carefully tightening her linked arm through his. Muscled tensed beneath her touch and she even dared to brush her fingers along the cuff of his coat to feel the softness of his silvery white fur.

Silence passed between them and yet she felt the need to tell him everything that she had learned. Nephrite had alluded that Kunzite was cruel as a man, but no less protective or territorial than he was in this Lycanthrope form. That he was loved despite it all, and that she knew how much Endymion had meant to him. 

She understood thanks to her endless love for Serenity. All of it threatened to spill out of her, and yet part of her latent fear of his violent, blind, animal rage prevented her from doing so. His vocal apology alone seemed like heavy strides, but there was something in the undercurrent of his thoughtful gift that made her guilt feel so much heavier. Despite it all, she found that she hated hiding things from him.

* * *

No sooner had Kunzite stepped beyond the threshold of her door, he felt the telling tugs against his fur and clothes as Zoisite appeared out of thin air and nestled on his shoulder well out of Venus’s sight.  “I knew you had it in you.”

“You heard everything, didn’t you.”  He grumbled, noting that Venus seemed lost in thought, subconsciously leaning comfortably against his arm. If she could hear them, she gave no indication. 

“Every word.”  He snickered softly.  “Who knew you still had the ability to feel remorse!? Clearly, you’ve got her attention now, talk to her!” 

Kunzite growled softly in his throat, considering knocking the Rat from his shoulder for a moment before he peeked down to make sure that she hadn’t heard them, only to find that her face had fallen into a morose expression. There was a distant sadness in her eyes beneath furrowed brows, and her full lips were two wilted blushing petals.

“Are you feeling alright?”  He asked, breaking through her warring thoughts. Her eyes fluttered up at him but the smile that quirked the corners of her mouth seemed forced, though simultaneously soft.

“I’m feeling fine. Worried I suppose.” 

“For your Princess?” 

“Mm.”  She hummed in agreeance, seeming to lean further into his arm.  “Do you think Beryl has already made her move?” 

“No. She is a puppet to Metallia. She won’t act unless she knows she can assure a victory. It’s how…”  Kunzite stopped himself, clenching his jaw shut tightly. 

“How?”

“It’s nothing. But no, I do not think she’s made her move.”  He could tell she wanted to question him further. Her lips even parted to ask him but it was as though she knew he would not budge. He could not. Beryl was a creature that took her time, weaseled her darkness into the most hidden corners, and built her offense with purpose. She liked to make sure that her enemies were at their weakest. She liked to ensure her victories any way that she could. 

“Can we not research today? She asked suddenly, lifting her summery blue eyes toward him beneath fringes of black lashes and gold bangs.  “I know that it is contradictory but I don’t think I can concentrate today.” 

“Offer to read to her!”  Zoisite hushed into his ear, causing the fur at the back of his neck to rise.  “Be romantic, sympathetic…”

“Pathetic,”  Kunzite mumbled between his teeth.

“What was that you said?”  Venus asked, eyeing him suspiciously. 

“What kind of stories do you enjoy? I could… read to you if you want.”  Internally, Kunzite winced. Not only because he had a feeling he knew exactly what sort of stories a Venusian Goddess might enjoy, but because it was precisely the last thing he wanted to be roped into that day. The next growled words directed at a very specific Rat currently nesting in his other shoulder.  “Next time, Jadeite can eat you.” 

“Really? You’d do that?”  Venus asked, her eyes lighting up like a midsummer’s afternoon and Kunzite knew he was doomed. 

“After breakfast… of course.” 

He couldn’t remember a time when a meal went so quickly. Not only did Venus’s mood appear to lighten considerably, but she was ravenous with her meal in a way that almost made Jadeite appear tame. Zoisite made his presence known finally, for no reason other than to feast on her scraps of bread, bacon fat, and the last few crumbs of cheese Kunzite was convinced she’d left for him on purpose. 

“I enjoy love stories and fantastical stories of adventure. I like happy endings.”  She said suddenly, her hand resting on her tightly cinched stomach as though she’d eaten too much. 

“Well, we have no shortage of stories to suit such desires.”  Zoisite boasted, lifting his head from her plate over a mouthful of cheese.  “I should know, it’s my library.” 

“Oh, will you be joining us too then?”  Venus asked the Rat crouched on the table in front of her. 

“No,”  He began, a strange gleam in his eye when his beady emerald eyes met Kunzite’s who contemplated dragging the rodent down to the Solarium to offer Jadeite an early lunch.  “But Kunzite is very well read, he’ll see that you’re entertained this afternoon. I’m afraid I have other engagements to attend to.” 

This time her eyes flickered amusedly from Zoisite to him, but he pretended not to notice that they were knowing, and perhaps just as mischievous as their Rat companion. More or less, because given their circumstances, it was likely his other “engagements” meant wandering the gardens with Jadeite in search of answers for the Eden currently being reborn more rapidly by the day. 

“I see.”  She said, standing without warning to sweep toward him, arrest him with her smile and wrap her slender fingers around his arm to pull him to his feet.  “If we’re going to choose a story from all of those books then we’d better get going!” 

She didn’t wince or hesitate to touch him, perhaps for the first time ever she did so as if they were friends, and her joy seemed to cast light through their darkened halls and even the fire in the library’s hearth burned with more spark. How could he not follow this beautiful creature wherever she desired if it made her this joyful? Even if it meant he’d be reading stories he’d admittingly never read, ones of the heart that had never served his purpose in the slightest, even if he knew many of them. 

“Is there a particular story that is of interest to you?”  Kunzite found himself asking, wishing for once that Zoisite was perched on his shoulder to whisper suggestions. His lips tensed over deadly fangs, silently cursing what magic had gripped this mad palace when he noticed that his favorite armchair where he’d spent so many afternoons with her had turned itself into a much longer overstuffed sofa. 

“I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking.”  Venus mused, half laughing while her eyes darted all around them at the shelves and shelves of books that rose all the way up to the gilded ceiling. He found himself smiling, physically shaking himself off the moment she released his arm and it became evident to him that he missed the contact. 

“I think I know of one.”  He offered, trying his best to appear dignified, treading on silent paws toward the opposite end of the library where he knew Zoisite used to stash more cultured fictions from his lands. The volume was worn, but Kunzite remembered how Zoisite read this book many many times. A tale of a seafaring man who fell in love with a cursed mermaid, two hearts from very different worlds, and how the man went through hell and back to keep her for his bride. It had a happy ending and seemed to fit the need for adventure that Venus’s wild heart demanded. 

She was already nestled into place on the sofa, relaxed with a pillow hugged in her lap. The unburdened expression on her face, the peaceful smile, caused his throat to run dry from the way the fire flickered its warmth across her faultless features.

“Were you going to join me?”  She teased, patting the cushion beside her with a smile that had Kunzite considering finding an excuse to abandon his foolish promise, but he was never one to turn his back on his word, even if it involved doing something he decidedly did not want to do. He cleared the growing knot in his throat and took a seat, tucking his tail beside him to keep it out of the way, tensing when he felt Venus shift closer on the cushion beside him, easing his tension with a soft whisper.  “Thank you.” 

And so he began to read. Taking care of the worn book so that his overly powerful hands and claws did not tear the pages. Kunzite found himself engaged in the story, sympathizing for the cursed mermaid in a manner that tugged on his chest, so much so that he hadn’t noticed Zoisite crawl up on the couch to nestle himself on the pillow resting in Venus’s lap. He should have known the Rat wouldn’t be able to resist the retelling of his favorite story, unknowing when the last time he would have indulged himself with the tale. 

Time was easy to lose, he hadn’t breached more than a quarter of the book’s pages when he felt her head fall sleepily onto his shoulder.

“I’d say you’ve bored her to death,”  Zoisite whispered, crawling up and along the backside of the wood trimmed sofa. Kunzite narrowed his eyes at him, careful not to move, or wake her.  “I thought you should know that the fountains in the garden have been restored, and far more than roses have begun to bloom.” 

“Yes, but have you determined why?” 

Zoisite snickered, green eyes dancing down to the sleeping girl beside him.  “The way your heart quickens when she touches you, when she fell asleep on you even, validates at least part of my theories.” 

Kunzite rolled his eyes, jaw clenching with a lack of words to say.  “I don’t owe you any explanations. There are many reasons for it, and you’re no better. Dressing her every morning like your doll, curling up in her lap, letting her carry you as though you were her pet… Need I go on?” 

“It’s been five hundred years. I’m tired. Glad to oblige any entertainment or free transportation.”  The Rat snarked, folding his arms in a manner that was too human.  “Anyway, Jadeite thinks the garden’s enchantment is safe enough, there’s no illusion to it and perhaps a symptom of our home. Just like this sofa that wasn’t here yesterday. Perhaps Venus would like to see it? The blooming parts are balmy while snow falls beyond. It is bizarre but harmless.” 

Kunzite glanced down at the girl sleeping against his arm, the way her hair fell carelessly around her eyes. He swept it away with a careful finger, telling himself once more that this overwhelming feeling to protect the young Goddess was merely territorial.  “Just to be safe, I’ll accompany her before I take my leave for the evening.” 

“Of course.”  Zoisite mused, with a knowingness in his tone that only earned him a warning glare.  “I’ll leave you to it then.” 

“We both know you can’t resist spying. You’re nosy.” 

“And you’re about as subtle as a brick wall. About as emotionally adept as one as well.” 

“Keep talking and garbage is all you’ll be eating ever again.” 

“It’s an acquired taste. But you’ve threatened me with worse.”  Zoisite huffed, seemingly disappearing into thin air as always when he scurried away. 

No sooner were they left alone did Kunzite move to brush his fingertips against her velvety smooth cheek, barely touching the skin before withdrawing and clenching the monstrous hand into a rage induced fist. How terrible the appendage looked beside her endlessly beautiful face. 

* * *

Her eyes fluttered open, feeling the whisper of someone’s affectionate touch on her face, only to find Kunzite staring tensely into the fire in front of him, orange and gold light flickering through the pale tufts of fur peeking out of the collar of his fine frock coat just around his muzzle. His grey eyes were troubled, and fists clenched in his lap. 

“Hey,”  Venus whispered softly, retracting her hand when he winced away from the comforting touch she’d tried to place on his forearm.  “Are you alright?” 

“Fine.”  He said, as cold as the freshly fallen snow. Those sharp and familiar eyes flickered toward her, and Kunzite gained some sense of himself again.  “I thought you’d want to see the gardens before dinner. Zoisite tells me that much of it has grown.” 

“I’d like that. I’m afraid I’ve neglected to get out much as of late. I’ve been busy.”  Venus admitted with some unease that not all of her busy days had been spent honestly. This had been the most relaxed she’d felt since falling into this mess all those weeks ago, surprised to find herself the most comfortable in Kunzite’s presence. 

In preparation for the frigid snow she’d seen falling outside of her window that morning, Venus pulled on the red cloak that almost matched the ribbon in her hair, shocked to find a balmy heat envelop her the moment they stepped into a floral haven of lush green ivy, red roses, various lilies and draping wisteria. Laughing out in surprise, she sprung forward to be consumed by it, more beauty than she’d ever seen in one place in one place since she last visited her home on Magellan. 

Kunzite remained static behind her, staring while she twirled and laughed among a balmy gust of white petals drifting from a neighboring tree. Even the hedges seemed to come to life, seeming to dance with her as she swayed and breathed in the floral notes of magnolia and rose. Venus untied her cloak, playfully draping it over the outstretched hand of a nearby statue with an almost flirtatious thanks. She didn’t even bat a lash when the carved idol curled his stone fingers to accept it.

“Kunzite walk with me!”  She beamed, rushing toward the dumbstruck Wolf who seemed all too content to merely watch her. 

“I didn’t imagine there had been so much growth.”  He explained, grey eyes darting and shifting, ears moving with an assessment of their surroundings.  “Zoisite said there had been much progression but…”

“But nothing.”  Venus reached for both of his hands with hers, paying little mind to his deadly claws, but focusing on his eyes. They’d never appeared more human. His fingers very carefully accepted her grip, curling around her much smaller hands and she repeated much softer.  “Walk with me.” 

He nodded, lingering a surprisingly gentle grasp on her hands before he released one, and like a gentleman, linked her arm in his.  “You’re a very strange creature.” 

“Me? Strange?”  She mused at his observation, laughing to herself when she realized that it was in fact she who was walking alongside a creature from her worst nightmares. Arm in arm as friends.  “I suppose that is fair, but you are hardly ordinary, you know.”

“Ah, but I wasn’t talking about me.” 

“You never do.”  She said, and his jaw tensed at her teasing words, his eyes averted to the blooming scenery behind her. The weather was bizarre, to feel the warm heat on your skin only to peer out beyond the wall to the bare, snow covered trees of the forest beyond the palace. She noticed that Kunzite had forgotten her as he had when he spied the deer the night they fought, becoming enamored with the sight and smell of a rabbit nearby. Pity tensed her lips when she saw how he struggled against these urges that were fit only for a predator. An animal.

“Kunzite.”  There was no reply, only his fixed stare, blank, and with only one objective. Venus very boldly reached to grasp his lower jaw in her fingers, physically pulling his face to force his attention back to her. She hushed him in the calmest voice she could muster with the hopes of keeping her hand.  “Kunzite, come back to me.” 

Realization dawned in his eyes as they regained their clarity. She held his muzzle gently in her hand, their eyes dancing together, searching. She could see the depth of his yearning as though he sought answers or comfort in hers, something else Kunzite wouldn’t give her time to see. He tore his gaze from her and whispered mournfully;  “I don’t think you would enjoy hearing about someone like me.” 

“I don’t think you should do any form of thinking for me.”  Venus nudged him somewhat playfully and curled her lips in a reassuring smile.  “It would be nice to know my captor. Tell me something. Anything.” 

“I was a soldier. A General.” 

“I gathered. This sash in my hair…” 

“Er, yes. It was from my old uniform. I have no use for it now. A fitting gift since you are a soldier yourself.” 

She smiled at this and fingered the end of the ribbon tied neatly into her hair.  “Did you know that red sashes for soldiers were of Venusian origin?” 

“No, I didn’t.”  Kunzite replied, eyes trailing down at her in interest. 

“Yes! I mentioned how the red string of fate, any red link is a very important Venusian symbol. Well, soldiers in the Venusian army would always be presented a red sash to adorn their uniform or give to their wives as a symbol of their love while they were away. A promise to always return to them no matter the peril.”  Venus became thoughtful for a moment, sad as she contemplated the many who never returned from defending her home from Metalia’s wrath alive.  “Even in death, real love is forever. A soul that has met their purest mate, will be reborn if only to seek their other half.” 

“What if you never find your other half?” 

She smiled dreamily, her face growing warm when she looked up to find the intensity of his eyes already on her. The look in them enough to send her heart leaping into her throat.  “Then you make the best of the life you are given and are reborn again to keep searching. Soul mates are rare, and the heart is strong, adaptable. Even when love is lost, it is found again to varying degrees, though nothing is more powerful than a fated match.” 

“And if you do find them?” 

“Well… then you are immortal, complete. Life and death… love is all entwined. Love gives you a purpose and life is a game of living to its potential.” 

Kunzite tore his stare away from her in favor of the stone pathway at their feet.  “A purpose…” 

“Hey, let’s not speak of such things, we should make the best of today. Maybe play a game. I think you should try and catch me, or I’ll hide and you can come and find me!” 

“You know you cannot outrun me.” 

She rolled her eyes, swearing that he had no sense of fun. That it was lost somewhere beneath all that fur.  “Fine! I’ll go hide then. You count to twenty and you’ll have to find me.” 

“I could sniff you out easily you know…” 

“Humor me, Kunzite!”  Venus groaned, shifting antsy on her feet.  “If I win, you have to agree to a big dinner party in that empty dining hall of yours, and I want all four of you to attend. Fancy attire and all of it. Too much food to manage and gallons of champagne!” 

Kunzite frowned at this, if a Wolf could do so, and stared blankly at her.  “You really are a strange creature…” 

“Please?”  Venus grinned, showing all of her teeth, batting her lashes as she leaned into him.  “Do it for me?” 

“Fine. This will be very short lived, but if it means that I do not have to witness Jadeite devouring an entire boar I’ll agree.” 

He heaved a heavy sigh and she pulled her arm from his as Kunzite closed his eyes. His ears twitched as he clearly tried not to move them in her direction when Venus scrambled off into the wilderness of the blooming gardens. With hope, she wouldn’t encounter or startle Jadeite who was likely enjoying the blissful balminess by napping in the sun. The last thing she wanted was to somehow end up as his dinner, even though she fancied that she’d at least earned his good graces enough that he would spare her the perils of his digestive tract. 

Counting as she ran, she ducked behind the carved skirts of some Goddess’s statue that was tucked into a corner of rose bushes thick enough that she wouldn’t be seen. Venus listened as she’d been trained to in battle, knowing that soon enough this hiding game would turn into a game of tag because as he said, there was no way she could outrun him or his keener senses. Laughter threatened to bubble up from her throat as the anticipation of it grew and Kunzite’s heavy shuffling grew nearer. She took the moment to dart along some hedges, running to find a better spot to hide. 

Soon she was running, laughing wildly as she hid, and hid again until she was dizzy and lost, and a chill crawled over her skin the closer she came to the garden’s threshold. She found herself alone at the edge where the gardens died and her slippers became wet with the fallen snow, wishing she still had her cloak to warm her from the sudden frigid blasts of air.

A wrought-iron gate pillared with stone supports lined the property, revealing the bleak world beyond that appeared so deadly even without the darkness they all warned her about, the monsters she knew lurked beyond the Elysian castle’s protection. And seemingly out of nowhere there was a figure standing where the locked gates should have opened.

Venus realized that she wasn’t alone. 

Somewhere amid the cold and snow, a demon stepped out from the shadows like an unwarming flame, staring with her demonic orange eyes through the iron bars of the gate where it should have opened. Beryl was a statuesque nightmare more terrible than any beast she’d ever seen, vibrantly red against the backdrop of boney black trees, grey clouds, and the shadows of the forest that seemed to ripple off of her ashen skin. Darkness bent the space around her, rippling oppressive power across the land she stood on killing any bit of budding life that could have had any hope to bloom. 

Every inch of Venus screamed at her to run, her skin crawling and humming in terror the moment she locked eyes with her. Beryl’s wide demoness eyes pierced straight through her, and if looks could kill then she should have struck dead right then and there. The last time she saw the Demon Queen she had not only threatened to pierce her heart with a Holy Sword, but had actually possessed the power to do so. Here she was helpless, and the way her purple lips curled into a wicked grin, Beryl knew it. 

“So it is true.”  She hissed, a pleased raspiness in her voice that made the cold grow colder and the darkness seemed to close in around her. Venus turned to look back the way she came, hoping to find Kunzite, only to find that she was still alone. Beryl curled a long taloned finger to beckon her closer, and she found herself obeying the gesture like she’d been pulled by an invisible string.  “Your canine friend alluded that his prisoner was of some importance, but I thought he was merely crying wolf.” 

“You have no power here,”  Venus growled through gritted teeth. Anger flooded her veins and for a moment she thought her rage would be enough to summon her strength, to be able to smite the demon with a well placed crescent beam between her long, thin, and shapely brows. 

Beryl drew closer until her face almost pressed between the black iron bars, fangs gleaming as she smiled and her orange eyes grew brighter with triumphant amusement.  “Neither do you. You are helpless here, and you are far more helpless to your brat of a Princess. This is indeed a most welcome turn of events.” 

“You will not lay a hand on her, you demon’s whore, I will have your heart for a trophy.” 

The Crimson Witch cackled and Venus thought she’d cry with the rage that filled her, the desperation and helplessness making her irrational.  “I’m sure you’d find my heart in that forsaken kingdom if you looked hard enough. I lost it long ago, as did Serenity.” 

“He was never yours to claim!”  Venus shouted so loud that it echoed, gripping the bars to scream in Beryl’s face. 

In a startling motion, she grabbed Venus’s hands in hers, silky red waves falling over her bare shoulders, her skin burning against the black iron but it did not faze her. Beryl’s demon eyes were intense and crazed, but she could not pull her hands away from her vice like grip. Her long dark nails scraped against her skin, breaking the flesh until it bled. 

“SHE was never supposed to step foot here. SHE was not meant to find him, and YOU allowed their love to flourish!” 

“I am Sailor Venus, Champion and Sovereign of Love, how dare you speak to me about real love. If you knew what it was then you would have known that he never loved you!” 

Beryl released her, a stoney glower shifting into a mask of pure insanity. She smiled too wide, baring her fangs until it nearly split her face, and a fire blazed behind her eyes as she held out her hands to watch them heal on their own.  “The joke is on your dearest Princess, for she suffers the same fate as her one and only love. Encased in crystal for all of time. To sleep for eternity as though in death. That is the curse of the Silver Crystal you worship, Vain One. That is the price you pay for your incompetence.” 

“YOU’RE A LIAR!”  She screamed, fighting the prickle of unshed tears that threatened to fall with the grief she felt tear through her chest. It couldn’t be true, Venus refused to believe anything the Demon Witch said, and yet something in her soul could feel it. HAD felt it more than once in moments when her mind was not occupied with paintings, research, and Beasts who showered her with gold and jewels. 

Beryl cackled maniacally, revealing her long slender neck as she tilted her head back to emphasize her amusement. The icy snow was cold, seeping into the fabric of her dress when Venus sank to her knees and glared defiantly up at the unnaturally tall witch with the vibrant red waves that dragged the ground on the train of her purple gown. Her serpent eyes flickered up behind Venus as Kunzite approached, lips curling into that smile again before glowering down at the fallen Goddess beyond the gate. 

“I have no use for lies, Goddess of Vanity. So just know that my eye is on the Silver Crystal, and now that I know that Queen Serenity is weaker for abandoning her prized warrior here, she has signed her own death warrant.” 

“MONSTER!”

“Oh, darling Beauty… Love makes monsters of us all. You should know that better than most. Just ask your fellow Beasts now that you’ve joined them.” 

Beryl’s laughter echoed in the trees, dissipating the moment Venus felt a clawed hand rest on her shoulder, a deep and hostile growl rumbling in her ear as the Wolf crouched over her protectively until the Witch was fully gone. It was warm and she couldn’t help but lean into the touch as she dissolved into a bundle of broken sobs, fingers clutching and curling into the freshly fallen snow at the base of the gate until they were red and numb. 

Kunzite lifted her into his arms with a tenderness she didn’t know he was capable of. She barely noticed, only curled in on herself and clutched at his fur with aching hands, burrowing her face into the soft velvet of his frock coat to stifle her broken sobs. He didn’t say a word, not even when the air of the gardens shifted into a balmy temperature and he paused to claim her cloak. Not until her sobs calmed into deep shaking breaths and hiccups and Kunzite had her tucked safely in bed did he utter a single word. 

“She cannot win.”  Venus didn’t shudder away from his touch when he took her hand or brushed her hair from her blotchy, tearstained cheek.  “This is why you are safest in my sights, I should have shielded you from her. I am sorry I failed you.” 

She sniffled and shivered not from the cold, but warmth that seemed to spread up her arm when Kunzite enveloped her hand in his, resting on the blanket between them.  “You didn’t fail me. The only way you ever could is to let her win. Please… do not give up hope. I… I need you, Kunzite.” 

  
“It seems that time is running out for us both…”  He spoke softly, eyes shifting toward the candles at her bedside when they flickered to life as the light grew dim.  “But you won our little game… so in the meantime, I suppose we all owe you a dinner party.”


	15. The Tomb of Roses

Every time she closed her eyes she saw that wide, twisted grin of dark lips and gleaming fang, the crazed look burning in Beryl’s demonic orange eyes. Venus knew she was exactly where that witch wanted her to be, trapped, and without any way of returning to Serenitatis. Queen Beryl was going to attack the next chance she got and there was nothing she could do to stop Metalia from unleashing the Dark Kingdom to finish their devastating task. But she had to try.

The sun hadn’t even risen before she got up to dress, donning a simple attire of grey taffeta skirts and a white blouse that wrapped around her neck, completed with a waist cincher in black satin. She kept her hair simple, golden waves tied halfway back by the crimson sash that Kunzite had given her for a needed pop of color. Zoisite would likely not approve, so when she snuck down for breakfast Venus made sure to leave him extra scraps. She wasn’t hungry anyway. Fun with Jadeite would wait as well, opting to shut herself in the library right away without Kunzite to accompany her. There wasn’t any time for her to waste now that Beryl knew just how weak and vulnerable Serenitatis was. Her Princess needed her, and nothing else mattered.

She scoured the shelves like a madwoman searching for a lost jewel in the ocean, climbed ladders high up into the two story ceiling to do so, and in heeled boots no less. By the time Kunzite finally joined her later that morning, Venus already had the library in a state of chaotic disarray.

“Did you have to tear down half of the library?” He almost mused, a teasing tone kissing his gravelly deep voice. He WOULD be in a good mood when she was feeling the walls of this vast castle closing in all around her, choking her harder than the high neck of her blouse. Kunzite must have known this because as soon as she turned around to look at him with a less than amused scowl, his voice regained that stern quality she’d grown so used to. “Have you found anything helpful?”

“No.” Venus bit, turning back toward one of the three open books splayed around her. She must have looked crazed, frenzied the way she poured over book after book. “I’ll be quite busy today so unless you have decided to answer my questions, I’ll be fine on my own.” 

Kunzite growled low, a warning that she refused to acknowledge. She had said what she needed to say and thought that he had to understand her position. He’d been in her shoes once, knowing that the inevitable was coming without the power to stop it. An animal backed into a corner with no escape. 

Without questioning her any further, he knew better, Kunzite selected a book from her pile in his clawed hand, one she’d already read through, and took his place at the desk on the other side of the room. Clearly, he knew it was in his best interest to simply keep his distance and let her work. 

As the hours passed, Kunzite’s silent presence became more and more grating on her nerves. She could feel his eyes boring into her back while she poured over pages of history and magical properties that linked various planets and materials. She wanted to find anything that aligned the mysterious origin of the Golden Crystal and why Endymion’s bloodline had inherited the stone along with the power that came with it. Based on how often she felt the weight of those cold, wolf eyes, he hadn’t been doing much research. Of course, it was probably vain of her to think that he paid her so much attention. 

She was just furious about all the work she was putting in when it was likely that Kunzite could tell her everything she needed to know if he wanted to, but clearly, he didn’t. Or for whatever reason, couldn’t. 

Eventually, the shadows began crawling toward her across the floor where she sat among a flimsy fortress of educational books that turned out to be useless to her purpose. Kunzite did approach her finally as the day grew late, dwelling only for a moment as though he would speak, but the Wolf eventually left as quietly as he came to leave for the hunt. It was for the best, she thought, and as angry as she was with Kunzite for his silence, Venus thought the room had grown much colder without him in it.

None of what she found was even close to the answers that Venus knew these Beasts kept hidden behind those compass marked doors near their chambers. It wasn’t enough, and though she didn’t enjoy the idea of betraying their trust, after Beryl’s visit she knew there was no other choice. She threw the book in her lap to the side with a loud and frustrated growl. Yes, for all of his reluctance and refusal to speak about what happened, she was far angrier at herself for reasons well beyond her initial failures that had landed her there in the first place.

Venus loathed herself for how much she wished for another afternoon nestled against his warmth, listening to the deep and soothing sounds of his voice while he read to her stories of exotic places, adventures, and romance she’d never expected to find for herself in her endless life. An escape from seeking answers and never finding them. A source of hope when hers was running out. Those flickers of something as soft and warm as his fur that lie just behind his cold, calculating, wild grey eyes that fanned the flames of that hope within her in ways she couldn’t afford to explore.

“One day…” She sighed, hoping one day she could have another day without worry, heat rushing toward her cheeks when she pushed aside her want to spend that day with him, if he could ever forgive her for what she was about to do. Whatever feeling that fluttered inside of her chest made it so much worse. “It is better to beg forgiveness than ask permission sometimes...I will tell him what I have done later.” 

Frowning, she pulled herself to her feet and hustled toward the door while she pulled her red cloak around her shoulders. As before, she peeked into the hall to ensure she was alone before treading down the darkened hallway where the icy chill washed over her skin in waves despite the extra fabric sweeping softly behind her. The heaviness, the animate shadows were different somehow as the candlelight seemed dimmer and the corridors felt longer and more empty. The main hall felt more imposing, like the stained glass windows toward the front entrance had eyes that watched and judged her every move. As though the castle itself knew exactly what she was up to. No matter, she pressed onward and passed the haunted ballroom, deeper and deeper into the darkness with nothing but desperation and the cold sting of fear to guide her.

Beryl knew she was there. Ishara, the Sovereign of Love and Commander of the Army of the Silver Alliance. She knew how weak Queen Serenity was and now spoke of Princess Serenity being trapped in a crystalline prison of her own despair when it was she who should have held the Silver Crystal in her hands and fought with all of the power in her heart to seal this great evil away. Venus sobbed before she knew that tears were streaming down her cheeks, becoming lost in the maze of winding hallways that should have led her back into that wing where Beasts slept and the secrets they kept could save them all. Ishara swore she knew the way, but the palace seemed set on leading her somewhere else entirely. 

The hallway came to a dead-end that led to another, forcing her to choose a path to the left or right. It was then that she realized how dark it was there, how cold. That there was nothing but stone and a musty wet smell reminiscent of her time spent in the dungeon. Her every shuttering breath echoed against the stone, nearly puffing in condensed clouds on the air in front of her. Fear clenched her stomach, and regardless of how tightly she pulled her cloak around her, she couldn’t stop shaking. Glancing behind her, she found a tunnel of pure darkness, the way she came no longer lit by enchanted candles, and it dawned on her just how lost in the belly of the castle she’d become.

Swallowing, Venus reached to push open the door and no sooner had her fingertips brushed the carved wood, the strong, sweet scent of roses invaded the air around her. She froze, every hair on her body stood on end and as her wide blue eyes slid toward the hallway, beside her a figure blacker than the darkness around her walked past, heading down the left side of the hallway. It was real enough that a subtle icy rose scented breeze grazed against her cheek. Whoever it was had walked close enough that their shoulders could have easily brushed. She gasped softly, stepping out into the stone hallway in front of her to address the man, whoever he was. 

“Hello? Is someone there?” She called out, only to be met with deafening silence. Her every move against the stone flooring, even the shift of her skirts echoed, so surely she’d be able to hear if someone were down there with her. The implication of it made her throat run dry, but she stepped forward again. If there was someone, perhaps they could help.

_All are monsters here._

Perhaps she didn’t want to find them at all. “Please, I’m lost. I’m hoping you can help me.” 

Silence. 

A strangled breath forced itself from her lips and once more her nose was filled with the earthy smell of roses. Somehow, the shadows further down the hall shifted and moved, darker than the darkness around it and the figure seemed to beckon toward her before walking out of her sight. The scent compelled her forward with caution, though her heart fought painfully against her ribcage until she thought it might burst with the fear that burned in her every breath. 

A single candle on a small corner table sparked to life the moment she approached where the figure had stood, so Venus lifted it into her shaky hand and urged the light forward into the direction the dark caped specter had walked. The light didn’t reach far, it didn’t need to. For the flickering golden glow of the candle danced against a solid stone door. One familiar to the gardens outside where Serenity had been found. A stone door carved with the royal emblem and crest of the Rose. 

A nagging feeling that she shouldn’t have been there raised the hair on the back of her neck, except the faintest of whispers seemed to echo through her mind and not against the stony chamber. One that merely said _‘help us.’_

Venus lifted the candle up toward the wall, finding a lever covered in a gossamer layer of cobwebs left untouched for seemingly hundreds of years. She reached to brush some of it away, pulling the lever downward, unsurprised when the stone door in front of her rumbled open into an even darker chamber. A tomb. 

The meager candle could scarcely penetrate the darkness of the hollow room, and instead of stale air, she was greeted with a stronger scent of roses. 

“Hello?” Venus whispered this time, stepping carefully forward down a couple of stone stairs further into the cavern. She hadn’t expected an answer, perhaps only seeking to fill the silence that felt much like walking underwater. 

The crypt was surprisingly clean, much like the rest of the castle, and as soon as Venus turned to light one of the candles with the flame of the one in her hand, the room very slowly flickered to life. Rows of white, half melted candles flickered to life, offering their incandescent glow to the chamber of polished gold trimmed marble and valiant statues of Elysian royalty, raised sarcophagi organized neatly among the pillar lined tomb. Roses flooded the center where a vibrant beam of moonlight spilled upon a surprising sight. 

Venus knew him immediately, posed as in death with his hands gripping the hilt of his sword, Endymion lay immaculate and beautiful upon a deathbed of stone. She was careful to approach him, expecting to find nothing but bones, but utterly stunned to find him perfect, as though he merely slept. His skin was paler than she remembered, soft lips that usually charmed and dimpled his cheeks with friendly smiles were too relaxed and frowning. Black feathery lashes rested on the plane of his finely sculpted cheek, deep black hair careless as it had always been splayed upon a pale satin pillow. His cape draped over the sides of his bed, suited in finery as though primed for a royal occasion he’d never been able to attend. 

Tears slipped down her cheeks and Venus very carefully brushed his face with her fingers. “Oh, Endymion… you live. She always knew you lived and I never thought to trust her heart. If only you knew how she’s missed you…” 

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” 

Venus jumped back nearly three feet, stumbling upon the steps that lead to the Prince’s resting place, wide blue eyes stunned to find the gleaming and monstrous eyes of Kunzite burning wild through the dark. Two awful glowing orbs, furious and familiar in their rage burning through the faint light, fixed upon her with deadly intent. She’d forgotten this face, this mask of horror. Or perhaps she’d let down her guard too soon. 

“I got lost, and I-” 

“THE MARK OF THE ROSE WAS FORBIDDEN! I TOLD YOU TO STAY OUT!” 

“Kunzite if you’ll only just listen! I-” 

“DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE?” He roared, the echoes of his voice filling and amplifying in the small space. Ripples of his anger electrified the air, and Venus swore by the grace of the flickering candles that she saw Endymion’s brow furrow. 

“KUNZITE LOOK!” She pointed at the Prince, wetting her lips as Kunzite lurked hostility into the room. Swiping over candles and statues as though they were made of paper. He did not avert his gaze from her, and Venus had to shuffle backward, fearing for her life when the Wolf swiped at her. 

“GET OUT!” He shrieked, so angry that he sounded mournful, and when he wiped again he nearly took off her head. 

“Kunzite please!” Venus sobbed, begged. Her vision blurred with tears and they spilled hot down her cheeks. “This isn’t you! If you’ll just-” 

“I SAID **_GET OUT_ **!” 

She watched, frozen in terror only a moment longer as whatever human-like features she’d begun to see in him faded away into something purely monstrous as though it had been an illusion all along. His eyes glowing and gleaming, fangs dripping and powerful claws primed for her flesh, and he lunged.

Suddenly she was running, her red cloak billowing behind her, feet carrying her through dark hallways where candles did not light for her in passing with the sound of his fury roaring against the stone chambers behind her, echoing and shuttering throughout the entire castle. It moaned and wailed and crumbled as she ran blindly through its despairing halls.

She gasped for air that would not fill her burning lungs, merely fueled by the tears that would not stop pouring from her eyes, and blissfully, the main hall greeted her sights. Venus had no idea where she would go or how she would get there, but all she knew was she couldn’t stay in the palace another second. She tripped on her skirts just before she made it to the door, falling hard to her knees in the soft rays of Moonlight filtering into the castle’s stained glass windows painting her with a red light. 

“Ishara? Where are you going? Are you alright?” Nephrite’s calming voice broke through her sobs as he descended the staircase behind her. 

She turned with watery bloodshot eyes, failing to suppress her broken sob.

“You were right, all is lost. We are all damned.” Venus said breathlessly, hurling herself to her feet, and out into the wintery night, her heart ready to burst with heartbreak within her chest.

Nephrite called out to her, but the door slammed hard behind her, leaving her lost in the aftermath of its finality in an enveloping maelstrom of white. She didn’t care how badly her lungs burned from the frigid air she pulled in through her mouth, or that her tears crystallized like diamonds on her lashes. All that mattered was getting away, the muscles in her legs aching as she trudged as fast as they would carry her toward the perimeter of the castle walls, out into the dark beyond. 

There was no magic here. No candles to light her way, or kitchen to materialize whatever meal she desired, or fire to warm her. The only similarity in these thick dark woods was that whatever Beasts lurked beyond the trees or back in that prison of a castle sought only to harm her. Farther and farther she ran until her legs gave out and Venus tumbled hard onto the frozen ground, the rough soil scraping her palms when she caught herself. Eyes clenching, she curled in on herself when the first sob ripped through her aching chest and she lay crumpled on the forest floor while the wind whistled through the trees and snowflakes swirled around her. Never in her life had she ever felt more alone. 

Breath came in shuttering pants which condensed and lifted into the air through chattering teeth as the light from the setting sun dissipated almost entirely. It was then that the shuffling sounds started, and Venus finally stumbled to her feet, pulling her red cloak more tightly around her shivering form. Her wide eyes darted around her, remembering warnings of monsters and wolves as though she hadn’t had her fill with them already, wondering if her body would be able to withstand whatever lurked in the darkness.

By the time she saw the first set of eyes pierce between the trees, familiar and cold as the ones she’d begun to grow fond of, was about the time that Venus realized she’d run far enough that no pathway back toward the palace remained. Only a freshly fallen coating of white snow, trees as far as the eye could see, and the thickest veil of darkness she’d ever seen. When she looked again, four more pairs of eyes glared back at her. 

It happened so quickly that she scarcely turned to run before the first wolf lunged forward, hot on her heels as Venus ran for her life, weaving through trees without any plan or agenda other than survival from the snapping jaws and vicious growls just on her heels. Her ankle rolled when she leapt over a creek, the heel of her boot landing awkwardly on a rock and forcing her to stumble forward. Venus braced herself, eyes clenched shut as she awaited her fate of the Wolf’s descent. 

A blast of wintery air washed over her and in a flash of white fur, Kunzite lept seemingly out of nowhere, tackling a massive grey wolf out of mid-air with a roar that echoed against the trees, filling the night with a warning to any creature nearby that the Beast was on the prowl. She had to remind herself to breathe as his arrival brought on a flurry of motion, piercing yelps of pain mingling with the snarls and growls of the wolf pack that moved in quickly against what was once their pack leader. 

Venus shrieked when two of the wolves began to close in on her, she tried to stand and run but pain shot from her ankle, up her leg and she yelped in pain from her efforts to scramble away. Being the weaker objective, she was a clear target, and Kunzite lunged forward, blocking the two with his body. His face lifted toward the moon with a pained roar as one of the grey wolves locked its jaws around his forearm and he promptly smashed its head against a tree trunk with a sickening crack. Then they all attacked at once. 

Bones crunched and snapped, fur floating amidst the chaos of snarls and pained cries, the hot sprays of blood on pure patches of white snow. On her skin and clothes. She stumbled to her feet, searching for a heavy branch or rock to help fight the dire wolves away. Grasping for what she could find, her ankle revolting, Venus steadied herself to break a large branch in half with her good foot to create a sharp stake. 

“Stay...BACK.” Kunzite growled, loud and commanding, halting her initial advance to join the fight, one he seemed to be losing. Two more wolves came from nowhere, one clamped hard and viciously onto his leg, blood pouring from the wound in crimson rivers, staining his pristine white fur, but Kunzite didn’t seem to notice. He was too busy trying to keep one of them from locking its jaws around his throat. Another had sunk its teeth into his shoulder, and the other, the female, had her sights locked onto her. 

She could fight one of them, surely if she could take Kunzite down this singular wolf would be no issue, right? Kunzite roared in pain, the loud snap of a wolf’s neck, another yelp when he pulled the other wolf off of his back, a moment of distraction. One the female wolf took advantage of and dove jaws first toward Venus’s throat. She was weak, oh so weak. Last minute, she swung the sharp side of the branch, meaning to impale the creature, but only knocked hard into the side of the wolf’s head. It yelped, claws tearing through her thin blouse, ripping into her arm which burned and bled. She screamed as the wolf pinned her to the ground, teeth flashing, breath reeking of carrion as the dire wolf’s jaws snapped, priming to clamp onto Venus’s throat. “Kunzite!”

All at once, the world was white in a flurry of white fur. The female wolf was ripped off of her, a horrific canine shriek bursting from her throat, the snapping of bones, a dull thud, and then silence. 

Kunzite was there, a frenzied and wild look in his eyes as he asserted his dominance by standing over her, growling fiercely at the only two remaining wolves, who slunk into the night with frightened whimpers to go and lick their wounds. The Alpha had claimed his territory, and they were forced to obey him. 

The Beast’s chest heaved with short strained breaths, blood pooling on the frostbitten ground beneath him where he continued to shield her. It poured down his right arm from vicious wounds in the meat and muscle, the limb shaking from supporting his weight. He staggered forward when it appeared that the threat, for the moment, had subsided. Venus gasped a breath, seeming to remember that air was necessary, only to have the air sucked from her lungs when he turned to look at her. 

One of his eyes was swollen shut, the other wide and grey but clear, and singing relief. She stared in shock for a moment, fumbling to her feet and nearly falling over from the pain that shot up her leg from the ankle. She thought she should run, continue her efforts to get away, but the moment she turned her back on him the heavy sound of him falling limp in the freshly fallen snow made Ishara freeze. 

He had saved her life. Betrayed the pack that he’d lived and hunted with generations of their bloodline. Years she was ignorant to loyalty and kinship he’d built only to wash it all away in mere moments just to make sure she survived. 

_As loyal as a wolf…._

Venus whipped around, if it hadn’t been for the blood staining his fur he would have blended into the snow on the ground, but she could not leave him to face whatever fate awaited him at the mercy of Beryl’s creatures. She limped hurriedly back toward his fallen form, dropping too hard onto her knees beside him, hissing at the burning in her arm when she reached for him. The once pristine white blouse she’d pulled on that morning clung to the skin, the blood plastering it there growing cold where the wolf had ripped through fabric and skin. 

Kunzite…” She whispered, nervously glancing around them as the snarls in the dark grew closer. Venus began shaking him gently, quietly calling to him until one of his piercing grey eyes fluttered open. “We have to move before we’re found.” 

“I thought I lost you…” He said weakly, and Venus felt her heart quicken at his hushed words, tearing her eyes away to check the surrounding area. He was hurt, and hurt badly. 

“Don’t be silly, there’s no time for that. We must move.” She urged. Turning back toward the creek, she cupped some of the frigid water in her burning red fingers and offered Kunzite a drink to help revive him. “Here… this should help.” 

He eyed the offering, shifting carefully to drink. His hot tongue lapped at the water, grazing her palms so eagerly she’d have thought he’d never had a drink of water before. Venus filled her palms two more times, letting him drink until the blood that had been seeping from his teeth was gone and Kunzite slumped back on the ground, exhausted against the bank of the creek. “That doesn’t bother you?” 

“Hm? No…” She began softly, resting a comforting hand very cautiously between his ears to stroke the soft fur on his head, her cheeks growing warm. “I…I rather like it.”

“We need to move.” Kunzite whispered, faintly smelling the air and pulling himself to his feet. The wound on his arm was angry and he growled, pulling the appendage away when she reached for him. Venus shrunk back, reminded that he was probably still so angry with her for running, angry with her for betraying his trust, trespassing where she shouldn’t have been. And now he was hurt for having to save her life. 

“Kunzite, I-” 

“Not now.” He bit through his teeth, leading her forward with his huge hand pressed gently at the small of her back. “We’ll go to the wolf’s den. They won’t be returning, and it’s far too late, too dangerous to return to Elysium tonight.” 

Her lips tensed, but she offered her confirming nod. The forest was far less imposing with the Wolf at her side, though both of them were bloodied and limping, yet he wrapped his large clawed hand around her waist and allowed her to lean against him. Tears brimmed in her eyes, stinging in the harsh winter wind. Her fingers were stiff and ached as they curled into the thick fabric of her cloak to try and warm them, burning like the wounds in her arm, each breath of icy air, her muscles as they walked. Exhaustion began to settle into her. 

They reached the old wolf’s den as silently as they could, a small cave not far off from the creek. Blood was in the air that night so it was all they could do to ensure they hadn’t been followed by the wolves, or any other nightmares lurking beyond the dark. Venus all too gladly settled in where it was dry, and Kunzite plopped heavily into the dirt beside her as though he were merely coming home. She watched him a moment, how heavy his breaths came, the pain pinching his monstrous expression. 

“Stop that!” She scolded when he began to lick his wounds like a common dog. He snarled and shifted back into the shadows until his grey eyes glowed like two moonstones in the dark. It had frightened her once, that hostile glare, but this time, Venus glared back. “Fine.” She huffed, shifting in the dirt to begin tearing strips of fabric out of her skirt creating what she once might have considered a rather fashionable slit up one side though now she lamented a loss of warmth. 

“What are you doing? You’ll freeze to death as it is-” Kunzite started, pausing wide eyed at the sight of her bare leg. 

“And that will get infected if we don’t bandage it.” Venus returned, crawling over him to assess his injured arm. “Stop licking that.” 

He glared at her but relented to her touch when she gently extended his arm and reached outside to grab a handful of snow, pressing the cold dampness of it into the wound. Kunzite hissed through his teeth, wild grey eyes soothing as she began to wind the fabric around his injury. There were more, she realized, on his shoulder and one of his legs. She wondered if he’d let her tend to all of them. She wondered if she’d put on enough skirts that morning. 

“You should get some rest.” He offered quietly, pausing when she looked up to find how close their faces were. Venus swallowed hard, not the first time she’d been so close to his muzzle but certainly the first time his teeth weren’t bared. His eyes could have almost been described as soft, and she found herself being pulled close to him, his hand around her waist urging her to lie down practically beneath him. 

“What are you doing?” She asked too quickly, nearly panicked but she tried her best to retain her calm. Kunzite only pulled her even closer. 

“You’ll freeze to death, and my scent will mask yours. Enemies will likely catch your scent miles away...and I’ll keep you warm.” 

“Do I really smell that-”

“Like nothing that has ever graced this world. At least not in hundreds of years. Even then...” 

“I meant to ask if my scent was so strong.” Her lips quirked as the Wolf clearly became uneasy. He cleared his throat softly and shifted so his weight would be comfortable against her. 

She mused, though admittedly she felt the heat rising to her cheeks. They’d all expressed how good she smelled, but she had to guess it was also potent. Despite the blood and dirt soiling the both of them, his fur was soft, his body radiating heat, and Venus found that despite it all she could smell the undercurrent of that pleasant scent of spices and sea.

“Just go to sleep. I’ll keep an eye out.” 

Venus yawned as his warmth seemed to seep from his fur, even through the red cloak she’d burrowed herself in she could feel him. Even heard his heartbeat in his chest and she found her fingers resting on the spot where it pounded against her palm. She curled her fingers into his fur. “You should rest too…” 

“Shhhh. The more silent you are the better off we’ll be. I’ll be fine.” 

“Kunzite?” 

“What?” 

“Thank you.” 

His muscles relaxed around her, save for the thundering of his heart which only quickened beneath her touch. She almost wished that he would tell her a story, allow the deep calming tones of his voice to lure her into an easier slumber, so instead, Venus clung to his whispered words as her eyes drifted closed. “You’re welcome.” 

* * *

The night would be a long one, but Kunzite relaxed when he felt her breathing deepen as a telling sign of slumber. He himself heaved a great sigh of relief as it finally dawned on him that she was safe, her icy fingers clinging and winding into his fur in a manner that alluded to her fear, slow breaths panting warmth into him as Venus pressed herself as tightly as she could against his body. It was almost enough for him to forget the pain in his arm that throbbed like a heartbeat and that his head pounded, and he wished that she couldn’t hear how rampantly his heart throbbed in his chest with far more than just the exertion of the fight. 

She’d looked at him, closely and without a trace of fear or disgust. For the first time in centuries, he felt more like a man than a wild Beast, regardless of how he’d treated her. He remembered how the scent of her fear permeated that stone chamber, the look of unabridged horror in her eyes, the loathing when he attacked her in that tomb. It took one mournful moment of clarity for him to realize his error. For him to see just what the Goddess had been trying to show him.

Kunzite shivered and curled himself around her, his grey eyes closing with the intention to rest them while his ears perked, staying alert to listen for any straggling predators that would try to harm her. He dozed but would startle himself awake at the slightest sound of some chipmunk or deer, opening only one eye to peek down at the girl with her face buried into his fur. 

While he may have succeeded in hiding her scent from the outside world, it enveloped him like a warm beam of sunlight, and each time he peeked down to ensure that she was still there, his eye fell upon the red sash still tied in her disgruntled hair that spilled onto the dark ground like liquid gold. Needless to say, he didn’t sleep much for watching her, but once the relief for her safety began to wane, it was replaced by questions and memories that brought a bitter but hopeful taste in his mouth. As well as regret.

Endymion was alive. Eternal sleep had been his punishment for not offering his heart to the Witch to save his people, a fact that had once made him bitter since a heart was such a small price to pay for the safety of a planet, or so Kunzite thought. But what did he know about matters of the heart when he’d spent his whole life shut off from his own? No matter, he had to wonder if there were other things she knew, other things that Venus was hiding. 

She stirred at the thought as though she could hear them and peeked up at him through mussed golden fringe. She shifted against him in a way that reminded Kunzite of how he’d long forgotten what it felt like to feel the intimacy of waking with a woman beside him. Venus sat up and immediately began to fuss with the makeshift bandage she had tied around his arm, wincing when she peeled it back to find the deep wound. “How long will it take us to get back? We need to properly dress this and clean your other injuries.” 

“I imagine it will take most of the day, being that we are both in ill form, but we will arrive before dark.” He replied, studying her face as she bit the bottom petal of her lip between her teeth and tightened the bandage around his arm. She stood, and the world around him grew colder but his brow furrowed, his monstrous hand reaching to take her slender fingers gently in his own. “Where are you going?” 

Venus smiled and limped forward a step. “I thought I’d bring you some water, and see if I can find some berries or something to eat before we leave. It’s daylight, I’ll be alright.” 

Her hand slipped from his grasp and Kunzite groaned, muscles revolting when he urged himself to his feet and stepped outside of the old wolf’s den. She turned, eyes bright when she looked at him over her shoulder. He swallowed dryly. She’d never smiled at him like that before. 

“Wait.” He called to her again, hobbling painfully after her, his injured paw held to his chest, his vision in one eye blurry. “Allow me to hunt… I’ll bring food if you meet me by the creek, but stay close, daylight doesn’t mean there isn’t danger.” 

“You don’t appear to be in any shape to hunt.” 

His fingertips brushed the petite curve of her waist, trailing gently toward the small of her back. “I’ll be fine, it’s only fish. Fighting, on the other hand, I’ll be less than useful I’m afraid, which means we should be quick to get back.” 

Venus met his eyes and nodded. He could hear her heartbeat quicken just before she tore her gaze away, and turned to head back toward the creek. 

“It’s nothing,” Kunzite muttered quietly to himself, bitterly as he watched her crimson silhouette limp with care between the trees. He’d always been a fabulous liar, poker faced under the most extenuating of circumstances, even to himself. This time he wasn’t quite sure that he believed it. 

“Are we going to talk about what happened?” She asked him later while he lapped a refreshing drink of water from her hands. 

Kunzite paused, lifting his eyes and abandoning the beverage to turn away. “No.” 

“We really should discuss what happened, it could mean-”

“It means nothing other than we need to move. We are slow and weak and nothing in this forest will be forgiving of that. Especially if we run into Beryl.” Venus growled in frustration behind him but he turned and kept walking forward, back toward Elysium with the slowest gait he could manage to allow the young Goddess to catch up to him. 

Of course he was furious, perhaps more so with himself than her very blatant carelessness, the violation of his trust, but it read in his tone which did not sit well with her very apparent impatience and disdain for blissful silence. “I wish you wouldn’t brush me off. You and I both know that Endy-”

“Do not DARE to utter his name to me.” Kunzite spun, biting through gritted teeth. He regretted it immediately the way she nearly fell backward to step away from him and almost tripped over her injured ankle. Fear and pain simultaneously flashed through her eyes from her injury and he softened his voice. “Please, the quieter we remain the safer we will be. The quicker we can get back.” 

Venus nodded sheepishly, shuffling slowly behind him. Trudging forward he frowned, hating that she was not in his sight should something sneak up on them, and Kunzite slowed his pace until she unknowingly walked just at his side where he could more easily protect her. 

Later. He would address it later. After all, he hadn’t given her any reason at all to trust him. How could he have expected it of her?


End file.
